7.4.4 The export keyword

At the time of writing, GCC does not support the new C++ export keyword (GCC 3.4.4).

This keyword was proposed as a way of separating the interface of templates from their implementation. However it adds its own complexity to the linking process, which can detract from any advantages in practice.

The export keyword is not widely used, and most other compilers do not support it either. The inclusion compilation model described earlier is recommended as the simplest and most portable way to use templates.