difference between static const and const at the namespace level

[cppsks]

namespace test
{
static const int num = 10;
const int num2 = 20;
}

What exactly is the difference here? Which is preferred (if both mean the
same)?

[Victor Bazarov]

cppsks wrote:

namespace test
{
static const int num = 10;
const int num2 = 20;
}

What exactly is the difference here? Which is preferred (if both mean the
same)?

There is no difference. I actually prefer no 'static' in this case.

'static' forces internal linkage. Since const objects that don't have
'extern' specifier have internal linkage by default, 'static' become
superfluous in a declaration/definition of a const object.

V

[Andrey Tarasevich]

cppsks wrote:

namespace test
{
static const int num = 10;
const int num2 = 20;
}

What exactly is the difference here?
Absolutely none.
Which is preferred (if both mean the same)?

The second form, probably. It is shorter.

If you were trying to create a header file that is compilable in both C
and C++ code, then maybe it would make sense to use the explicit
'static', since in C constant objects have external linkage by default.
But apparently you are not trying to do that.

--
Best regards,
Andrey Tarasevich