diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_0.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_0.3
index 5e83d48..bcd0b0b 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_0.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_0.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_0 \- append \\0 to a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_0\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_0\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_0 appends \\0 to a stralloc.
 
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_append.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_append.3
index 1bc52a0..5170718 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_append.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_append.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_append \- append a character to a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_append\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIin\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_append\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIin\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_append appends the byte from *\fIbuf\fR to the
 string stored in \fIsa\fR, allocating space if necessary, and
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_cat.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_cat.3
index add2caf..332d94d 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_cat.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_cat.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_cat \- append data to a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_cat\fP(stralloc* \fIsato\fR,stralloc* \fIsafrom\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_cat\fP(stralloc* \fIsato\fR,stralloc* \fIsafrom\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_cat appends the string stored in \fIsafrom\fR to \fIsa\fR. It
 is the same as
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_catb.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_catb.3
index e04b9be..8b53f03 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_catb.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_catb.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_catb \- append data to a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_catb\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIbuf\fR,unsigned int \fIlen\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_catb\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIbuf\fR,unsigned int \fIlen\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_catb adds the string \fIbuf\fR[0], \fIbuf\fR[1], ... \fIbuf\fR[\fIlen\fR-1] to the
 end of the string stored in \fIsa\fR, allocating space if necessary, and
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_catlong0.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_catlong0.3
index 5938170..7edd3fc 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_catlong0.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_catlong0.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_catlong0 \- append an integer to a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_catlong0\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR, unsigned long \fIin\fR, unsigned int \fIn\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_catlong0\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR, unsigned long \fIin\fR, unsigned int \fIn\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_catlong0 converts in to a string using \fBfmt_long0\fR and
 appends the result to \fIsa\fR, allocating memory as necessary.
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_cats.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_cats.3
index fa0a5e2..20fa628 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_cats.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_cats.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_cats \- append data to a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_cats\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIbuf\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_cats\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIbuf\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_cats appends a \\0-terminated string from \fIbuf\fR to the
 end of the string stored in \fIsa\fR, allocating space if necessary, and
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_catulong0.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_catulong0.3
index c2a8bd7..f9c89c2 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_catulong0.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_catulong0.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_catulong0 \- append an integer to a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_catulong0\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR, unsigned long \fIin\fR, unsigned int \fIn\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_catulong0\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR, unsigned long \fIin\fR, unsigned int \fIn\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_catulong0 converts in to a string using \fBfmt_ulong0\fR and
 appends the result to \fIsa\fR, allocating memory as necessary.
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_chomp.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_chomp.3
index 3d06a0e..39508c9 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_chomp.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_chomp.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_chomp \- remove trailing CR, LF or CRLF
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_chomp\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_chomp\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_chomp removes trailing CRLF, CR or LF from \fIsa\fR and returns
 the number of removed characters (i.e. 0, 1 or 2).
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_chop.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_chop.3
index 7bf9f3f..7db01fa 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_chop.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_chop.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_chop \- remove and return last char
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_chop\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_chop\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_chop removes the last char in the stralloc (if it is empty,
 stralloc_chop does nothing and returns -1).  This character is cast to
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_copy.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_copy.3
index 944bf82..002345f 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_copy.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_copy.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_copy \- copy data into a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_copy\fP(stralloc* \fIsato\fR,stralloc* \fIsafrom\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_copy\fP(stralloc* \fIsato\fR,stralloc* \fIsafrom\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_copy copies the string stored in \fIsafrom\fR into \fIsa\fR. It
 is the same as
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_copyb.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_copyb.3
index 551782c..c84bc75 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_copyb.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_copyb.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_copyb \- copy data into a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_copyb\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIbuf\fR,unsigned int \fIlen\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_copyb\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIbuf\fR,unsigned int \fIlen\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_copyb makes sure that \fIsa\fR has enough space allocated to hold
 \fIlen\fR bytes.  Then it copies the first \fIlen\fR bytes from
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_copys.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_copys.3
index 2181f95..6570c27 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_copys.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_copys.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_copys \- copy data into a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_copys\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIbuf\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_copys\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIbuf\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_copys copies a \\0-terminated string from \fIbuf\fR into
 \fIsa\fR, without the \\0. It is the same as
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_free.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_free.3
index c10a2e3..2ef6e37 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_free.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_free.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_free \- free storage associated with a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_free\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_free\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_free returns the storage associated with \fIsa\fR to the
 system.  Afterwards, the stralloc is unallocated.
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_init.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_init.3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fc4430c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_init.3
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+.TH stralloc_init 3
+.SH NAME
+stralloc_init \- initialize a stralloc
+.SH SYNTAX
+.B #include <stralloc.h>
+
+int \fBstralloc_init\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR);
+.SH DESCRIPTION
+stralloc_init initializes a stralloc to the empty string.
+
+It does not free any memory previously associated with a stralloc.  Use
+stralloc_free(3) for that.  If you just want to empty a stralloc, use
+stralloc_copys(sa,"") instead.
+.SH "SEE ALSO"
+stralloc_free(3), stralloc_copys(3)
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_init.c b/stralloc/stralloc_init.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9502070
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_init.c
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+#include "stralloc.h"
+
+void stralloc_init(stralloc* sa) {
+  sa->s=0;
+  sa->len=sa->a=0;
+}
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_ready.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_ready.3
index 8e33b0d..eac9a8d 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_ready.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_ready.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_ready \- provide space in a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_ready\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,unsigned int \fIlen\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_ready\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,unsigned int \fIlen\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_ready makes sure that \fIsa\fR has enough space allocated to hold
 \fIlen\fR bytes: If \fIsa\fR is not allocated, stralloc_ready allocates at least
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_readyplus.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_readyplus.3
index 70437ba..c233deb 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_readyplus.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_readyplus.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_readyplus \- provide space in a stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_readyplus\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,unsigned int \fIlen\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_readyplus\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,unsigned int \fIlen\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_readyplus makes sure that \fIsa\fR has enough space allocated
 to hold an additional \fIlen\fR bytes: If \fIsa\fR is not allocated,
diff --git a/stralloc/stralloc_starts.3 b/stralloc/stralloc_starts.3
index 5c49623..c05e643 100644
--- a/stralloc/stralloc_starts.3
+++ b/stralloc/stralloc_starts.3
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ stralloc_starts \- check if string is prefix of stralloc
 .SH SYNTAX
 .B #include <stralloc.h>
 
-extern int \fBstralloc_starts\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIin\fR);
+int \fBstralloc_starts\fP(stralloc* \fIsa\fR,const char* \fIin\fR);
 .SH DESCRIPTION
 stralloc_starts returns 1 if the \\0-terminated string in \fIbuf\fR, without
 the terminating \\0, is a prefix of the string stored in \fIsa\fR. Otherwise