: Since C has a flat namespace, use consistent prefixes for all public functions and types (e.g., libname_create_context() ) to avoid naming collisions with other libraries.
: While Martin Reddy's API Design for C++ is a classic, its principles regarding stability, documentation, and testing are highly applicable to C as well. For C-specific patterns, " C Interfaces and Implementations " by David Hanson is a definitive guide. API Design for C
: Return consistent error codes or use a "status" type for every function. Many successful C APIs return an integer status and use out-parameters for actual data. : Since C has a flat namespace, use
: Avoid global variables within your library. Instead, pass a "context" or "handle" pointer to every function that needs to maintain state, which also helps with thread safety. Recommended Resources for Deep Dives : Return consistent error codes or use a