1️⃣ What is a Static Variable?

A static variable:

• Remains in memory while the program is running
• Retains its value between function calls
• Is initialized only once

2️⃣ Example: Static Variable Inside a Function

#include <stdio.h>

void test() {
    static int x;
    x++;
    printf("%d\\n", x);
}

int main() {
    test();
    test();
    test();
}

Output:

1
2
3

🔎 Why is the Output 1 2 3?

Step-by-step understanding:

• static int x; is created only once.
• Since it is static and not initialized, it becomes 0 by default.
• First call → x = 0 → x++ → prints 1
• Second call → x is still 1 → x++ → prints 2
• Third call → x is 2 → x++ → prints 3

The key idea:

Static variable keeps its value even after the function ends.