Editing Microsoft Visual C++ (section)

=== ABI ===
The Visual C++ compiler [[Application binary interface|ABI]] has historically changed between major compiler releases.<ref>Microsoft MSDN: [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb531344.aspx Breaking Changes in Visual C++]</ref> This is especially the case for STL containers, where container sizes have varied a lot between compiler releases.<ref>Microsoft MSDN: [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/hh438470.aspx Containers (Modern C++)]</ref> Microsoft therefore recommends against using C++ interfaces at module boundaries when one wants to enable client code compiled using a different compiler version. Instead of C++, Microsoft recommends using [[C (programming language)|C]]<ref>Microsoft MSDN: [http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/hh438475.aspx Portability At ABI Boundaries (Modern C++)]</ref> or [[Component Object Model|COM]]<ref>Microsoft forum: [http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/vcgeneral/thread/86eda6a7-4d90-4e19-a9d4-6cbe22b661f4 Binary compatibility across Visual C++ versions] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130216110824/http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en/vcgeneral/thread/86eda6a7-4d90-4e19-a9d4-6cbe22b661f4 |date=2013-02-16 }}</ref> interfaces, which are designed to have a stable ABI between compiler releases.

All 14.x MSVC releases have a stable ABI,<ref>docs.microsoft.com: [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/porting/binary-compat-2015-2017? C++ binary compatibility between Visual Studio 2015, 2017, and 2019]</ref> and binaries built with these versions can be mixed in a forwards-compatible manner, noting the following restrictions:
* The toolset version used must be equal to or higher than the highest toolset version used to build any linked binaries.
* The MSVC Redistributable version must be equal to or higher than the toolset version used by any application component.
* Static libraries or object files compiled with /GL (Whole program optimisation) are not binary compatible between versions and must use the exact same toolset.