multiple definition in header file

Question

Given this code sample:

complex.h :

#ifndef COMPLEX_H
#define COMPLEX_H

#include <iostream>

class Complex
{
public:
   Complex(float Real, float Imaginary);

   float real() const { return m_Real; };

private:
   friend std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Complex& Cplx);

   float m_Real;
   float m_Imaginary;
};

std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Complex& Cplx) {
   return o << Cplx.m_Real << " i" << Cplx.m_Imaginary;
}
#endif // COMPLEX_H

complex.cpp :

#include "complex.h"

Complex::Complex(float Real, float Imaginary) {
   m_Real = Real;
   m_Imaginary = Imaginary;
}

main.cpp :

#include "complex.h"
#include <iostream>

int main()
{
   Complex Foo(3.4, 4.5);
   std::cout << Foo << "\n";
   return 0;
}

When compiling this code, I get the following error:

multiple definition of operator<<(std::ostream&, Complex const&)

I've found that making this function inline solves the problem, but I don't understand why. Why does the compiler complain about multiple definition? My header file is guarded (with #define COMPLEX_H).

And, if complaining about the operator<< function, why not complain about the public real() function, which is defined in the header as well?

And is there another solution besides using the inline keyword?

You can also make the function static. The inline specifier is commonly used to force a function to have internal linkage. — Akanksh
@Akanksh: Using static for this purpose is deprecated in C++. static has been completely replaced by anonymous namespaces, although in this particular case, inline is the way to go. — Konrad Rudolph
@Akanksh: That invites ODR violations by giving the same name (operator<<) different meanings in different translation units. — Davis Herring

Michael Aaron Safyan Michael Aaron Safyan · Accepted Answer · 2010-04-28T07:53:39

The problem is that the following piece of code is a definition, not a declaration:

std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Complex& Cplx) {
   return o << Cplx.m_Real << " i" << Cplx.m_Imaginary;
}

You can either mark the function above and make it "inline" so that multiple translation units may define it:

inline std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Complex& Cplx) {
   return o << Cplx.m_Real << " i" << Cplx.m_Imaginary;
}

Or you can simply move the original definition of the function to the "complex.cpp" source file.

The compiler does not complain about "real()" because it is implicitly inlined (any member function whose body is given in the class declaration is interpreted as if it had been declared "inline"). The preprocessor guards prevent your header from being included more than once from a single translation unit ("*.cpp" source file"). However, both translation units see the same header file. Basically, the compiler compiles "main.cpp" to "main.o" (including any definitions given in the headers included by "main.cpp"), and the compiler separately compiles "complex.cpp" to "complex.o" (including any definitions given in the headers included by "complex.cpp"). Then the linker merges "main.o" and "complex.o" into a single binary file; it is at this point that the linker finds two definitions for a function of the same name. It is also at this point that the linker attempts to resolve external references (e.g. "main.o" refers to "Complex::Complex" but does not have a definition for that function... the linker locates the definition from "complex.o", and resolves that reference).

multiple definition in header file

4 Answers