Static const structs in C

Question

We are starting a rather big project that involves parts in different languages. We decided to have a certain part translated at compile-time from a JSON to the necessary C structs (and other structures for the rest of the system parts).

The struct is defined in a .h, and the declaration will be like const static struct MCSCommandOptionsMessage mcs_command_message_list[] = and then list of parameters in the format required.

The question is: should the auto generated file with the struct declaration be a .h, or is it better to have a .c just for this struct? Why?

Answer 1

Both would be possible, declaration in .h or in the only one .c file the has access to the struct. If the struct defines something like an Interface and/or you generate several structs if would be good to have them in a .h file. It would define a contract. If several instances of the struct exist you have to put the struct definition in a .h file.

If you would to express Isolation and emphasize that the struct is private matter you can define it in the .c file.