Difference between Dynamic and Static library(Static and Dynamic linking) in C

I’m going to explain this to you like a kid just new to programming. Hopefully this helps anyone struggling to understand the difference between them.

Think of a library like a bookshelf with lots of books. In computer programming, a library is a collection of pre-written code that can be used by a program to perform certain tasks. These libraries can be either static or dynamic.

A static library is like a bookshelf that has all the books you need to read in it. When you compile your program, the static library's code is copied into your program's executable file. This means that your program has all the code it needs to run without requiring any external libraries. Static linking means that the library code is merged with your program and becomes a part of the final executable file. This makes the program larger, but also self-contained.

On the other hand, a dynamic library is like a library where you can borrow books. When you compile your program, it only includes a reference to the dynamic library, rather than copying the code into your program's executable file. The dynamic library's code is only loaded into memory when it is needed by your program at runtime. This means that the program's executable file is smaller, but it relies on external libraries to run. Dynamic linking means that the library code is stored separately and loaded into memory at runtime.

To summarize, static linking means that library code is merged with your program and becomes a part of the final executable file, while dynamic linking means that the library code is stored separately and loaded into memory at runtime.