Stage 6.14: Static Lifetimes
A static variable is a memory resource created at compile-time that exists through a program start to finish. They must have their types explicitly specified.
A static lifetime is a memory resource that lasts indefinitely to the end of a program. Note that by this definition some static lifetime resources can be created at runtime.
Resources with static lifetimes have a special lifetime specifier 'static.
'static resources will never drop.
If static lifetime resources contain references they must all be 'static (anything less
would not live long enough).
Memory details:
- Modifying static variables is inherently dangerous because they are globally accessable to be read from by anyone introducing the possibility of a data race. We'll talk about the challenges of global data later.
- Rust allows the use of
unsafe { ... }blocks to perform some operations that the compiler cannot make memory guarantees about. The Rustnomicon (aka The Dark Arts of Unsafe Rust) should not be talked about casually - it's like the restricted section from Harry Potter.
Further information: