A static local variable causes the compiler to create permanent storage for it in much the same way that it does for a global variable. : static « Language Basics « C++ Tutorial

1. C++ Tutorial
2. Language Basics
3. static

#include <stdio.h>    
#include <conio.h>   
     
int count(int i);   
     
int main(void)   
{   
  do {   
    count(0);   
  } while(!kbhit());   
  printf("count called %d times", count(1));   
  return 0;   
}   
     
int count(int i)   
{   
  static int c=0;   
     
  if(i) return c;   
  else c++;   
  return 0;   
}