Why did GitHub decide my (100% C) repository was 50% C++?

Question

I have a GitHub repository that is C-only. After my latest commit, in which I modified preprocessor spacing in a header file, GitHub decided my repository was 50.2% C++. I clicked on the link to look at the C++ code and it showed my header file portable.h.

Why does GitHub think my repo is 50% C++? And more importantly, how can I change its mind?

@IMSoP Are you fluent in C? `# define` is common preprocessor spacing. — MD XF, Mar 10 '17 at 17:47
This question isn't about programming, but about the inner working of a third party service which only the provider of said service knows the answer about. — Braiam, Mar 10 '17 at 18:11
@Braiam Nope, [linguist is open-source](https://github.com/github/linguist). — MD XF, Mar 10 '17 at 18:12
See: [is this question off-topic?](https://meta.stackoverflow.com/questions/345264/is-this-github-linguist-question-off-topic) on Meta — MD XF, Mar 10 '17 at 18:18

MD XF · Accepted Answer · 2017-03-10T18:36:39.940

5

I figured out how to fix it. I added a linguist override line to my .gitattributes file:

*.h linguist-language=C

I'm still not sure why GitHub decided the file was C++. If an answer is posted which solves that question, I'll accept it.

edited Mar 10 '17 at 18:36

answered Mar 10 '17 at 17:49

MD XF

7,860
7
40
71

probably because you wrote c++ in comment? – Yvon Mar 10 '17 at 22:00
@Yvon a) how would that cause it to decide the file was C++? b) where? – MD XF Mar 10 '17 at 22:00
Line 229 that's what I mean – Yvon Mar 10 '17 at 22:02

score -4 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 10 '17 at 17:39

-4

It might be related to the fact that C++ is a superset of C, it means any C project is also a C++ project.

answered Mar 10 '17 at 17:39

Gustavo Topete

1,246
1
9
15

1

My other repos: [all C](https://github.com/aaronryank/c-prohackr112), [all C](https://github.com/aaronryank/finer-points-of-c), [all C](https://github.com/aaronryank/rk-lang), [all C](https://github.com/aaronryank/minproj), [all C](https://github.com/aaronryank/arkdoc). Nope. – MD XF Mar 10 '17 at 17:41

Why did GitHub decide my (100% C) repository was 50% C++?

2 Answers2