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Boost (C++ libraries)

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Boost C++ Libraries
Stable release
1.38.0 / February 8, 2009; 16 years ago (2009-02-08)
Repository
TypeLibraries
LicenseBoost Software License
Websitehttp://www.boost.org/

The Boost C++ Libraries are a collection of peer-reviewed, open source libraries that extend the functionality of C++. Most of the libraries are licensed under the Boost Software License, designed to allow Boost to be used with both open and closed source projects. Many of Boost's founders are on the C++ standard committee and several Boost libraries have been accepted for incorporation into both the Technical Report 1 and C++0x.[1]

The libraries are aimed at a wide range of C++ users and application domains. They range from general-purpose libraries like the smart_ptr library, to OS abstractions like FileSystem, to libraries primarily aimed at other library developers and advanced C++ users, like the MPL.

In order to ensure efficiency and flexibility, Boost makes extensive use of templates. Boost has been a source of extensive work and research into generic programming and metaprogramming in C++.

Functionality

The current Boost release contains over 80 individual libraries, including libraries for linear algebra, pseudorandom number generation, multithreading, image processing, regular expressions, and many others.

Associated people

Original founders of Boost still active in the community include Beman Dawes and David Abrahams. Author of several books on C++, Nicolai Josuttis contributed the Boost array library in 2001. Around 3,000 people are subscribed to Boost mail-list and dozens of them are very active (as of 2007).

See also

  • Jam — Boost includes a package called Boost.Build, which uses a special version of Perforce Jam called Boost.Jam

References