C++ Primer, Fifth Edition

19.8.3. Linkage Directives: extern "C"

C++ programs sometimes need to call functions written in another programming language. Most often, that other language is C. Like any name, the name of a function written in another language must be declared. As with any function, that declaration must specify the return type and parameter list. The compiler checks calls to functions written in another language in the same way that it handles ordinary C++ functions. However, the compiler typically must generate different code to call functions written in other languages. C++ uses linkage directives to indicate the language used for any non-C++ function.

Note

Mixing C++ with code written in any other language, including C, requires access to a compiler ...