Editing Boost (C++ libraries)

{{Short description|C++ libraries}}
{{Primary sources|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox software
| title = 
| name = Boost
| logo = Boost.svg<!-- Image name is enough -->
| logo size = 100px
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| released = {{Start date and age|1999|09|01}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boost.org/users/history/old_versions.html|title=Old Versions|access-date=11 April 2017}}</ref>
| discontinued = 
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|reference|edit|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{Start date and age | {{wikidata|qualifier|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}} }}
| latest preview version = 
| latest preview date = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes}} -->
| programming language = [[C++]]
| operating system = [[Cross-platform]]
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| language count = <!-- Number only -->
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| genre = [[library (computing)|Libraries]]
| license = [[#License|Boost Software License]]
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[[File:Boost.png|thumb|Old logo (2006–2025)]]

'''Boost''' is a set of [[library (computing)|libraries]] for the [[C++]] programming language that provides support for tasks and structures such as [[linear algebra]], [[pseudorandom number generator|pseudorandom number generation]], multithreading, [[image processing]], [[regular expression]]s, and [[unit testing]]. It contains 164 individual libraries (as of version 1.76).<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.boost.org/doc/libs/?view=condensed | title=List of Boost libraries}}</ref>

All of the Boost libraries are [[software license|licensed]] under the [[#License|Boost Software License]], designed to allow Boost to be used with both [[free software|free]] and [[proprietary software]] projects.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Boost Software License|url=https://www.boost.org/users/license.html|access-date=2022-01-06|website=www.boost.org}}</ref> Many of Boost's founders are on the [[ISO/IEC 14882|C++ standards]] committee, and several Boost libraries have been accepted for incorporation into the [[C++ Technical Report 1]], the [[C++11]] standard (e.g. smart pointers, thread, regex, random, ratio, tuple)<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/library_technical_report.html | title=Library Technical Report | publisher=JTC1/SC22/WG21 - The C++ Standards Committee | date=2 July 2003 | access-date=1 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.open-std.org/jtc1/sc22/wg21/docs/papers/2006/n2090.html | title=A Threading API for C++}}</ref> and the [[C++17]] standard (e.g. filesystem, any, optional, variant, string_view).<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://stackoverflow.com/a/8852421/2006632 | title=StackOverflow.com site}}</ref>

The Boost community emerged around 1998, when the first version of the standard was released. It has grown continuously since then and now plays a big role in the standardization of C++. Even though there is no formal relationship between the Boost community and the standardization committee, some of the developers are active in both groups. 

== Design ==
The libraries are aimed at a wide range of C++ users and application domains. They range from general-purpose libraries like the [[smart pointer]] library, to [[operating system]] abstractions like ''Boost FileSystem'', to libraries primarily aimed at other library developers and advanced C++ users, like the [[template metaprogramming]] (MPL) and [[domain-specific language]] (DSL) creation (Proto).

In order to ensure efficiency and flexibility, Boost makes extensive use of [[template (C++)|templates]]. Boost has been a source of extensive work and research into [[generic programming]] and [[metaprogramming]] in C++.<ref>{{Cite book
 | last1      = Abrahams
 | first1     = David
 | last2      = Gurtovoy
 | first2     = Aleksey
 | title      = C++ Template Metaprogramming: Concepts, Tools, and Techniques from Boost and Beyond
 | publisher  = Pearson Education
 | date       = 10 December 2004
 | pages      = 408
}}</ref>

Most Boost libraries are [[Header file|header]] based, consisting of [[inline function]]s and templates, and as such do not need to be built in advance of their use. Some Boost libraries coexist as independent libraries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://think-async.com/Asio|title=Asio web site}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://boost-spirit.com/home/|title=Spirit web-site}}</ref>

== Associated people ==
The original founders of Boost that are still active in the community includes [[David Abrahams (computer programmer)|David Abrahams]]. An author of several books on C++, Nicolai Josuttis, contributed to the Boost [[array (C++)|array]] library in 2001. There are mailing lists devoted to Boost library use and library development, active {{As of|2023|lc=on}}.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Boost Mailing Lists (A.K.A. Discussion Groups)|url=http://www.boost.org/community/groups.html|access-date=28 Apr 2020}}</ref>

== License ==
{{Infobox software license
| name            = Boost Software License
| image           = 
| caption         =
| author          = Devin Smith<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.boost.org/users/license.html |title=Boost Software License |date=December 3, 2003 |publisher=[[Boost (C++ libraries)]] |access-date=April 21, 2025 |archive-date=April 24, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250424015917/https://www.boost.org/users/license.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| version         = 1.0
| publisher       = 
| date            = 17 August 2003
| spdx            = BSL-1.0
| OSI approved    = Yes
| Debian approved =
| FSF approved    = Yes<ref name=fsf/>
| GPL compatible  = Yes<ref name=fsf/>
| copyleft        = No<ref name=fsf/>
| linking         = Yes
| website         = {{URL|https://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt}}
}}

Boost is licensed under its own [[free software|free]], [[open-source license]], known as the Boost Software License.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt|title=Boost Software License - Version 1.0|format=TXT|date=August 17, 2003|access-date=December 22, 2023}}</ref> It is a permissive license in the style of the [[BSD license]] and the [[MIT license]], but without requiring [[Attribution (copyright)|attribution]] for redistribution in [[Binary file|binary form]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boost.org/users/license.html |title=Boost Software License |last=Dawes |first=Beman |access-date=2016-08-01}}</ref> The license has been [[Open Source Initiative|OSI-approved]] since February 2008<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lib.boost.devel/178539|title = Boost mailing list archive|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161107222035/http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.lib.boost.devel/178539|archive-date = 2016-11-07|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url = http://opensource.org/licenses/BSL-1.0|title = Boost Software License 1.0 (BSL-1.0) {{!}} Open Source Initiative| date=5 February 2008 }}</ref> and is considered a [[free software license]], [[License compatibility|compatible]] with the [[GNU General Public License]], by the [[Free Software Foundation]].<ref name=fsf>{{Cite web|url = https://www.gnu.org/licenses/license-list.html#boost|title = Various Licenses and Comments about Them - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation (FSF)}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
* [[Apache Portable Runtime]] – used by the [[Apache HTTP Server]]
* [[GLib]] – the equivalent upon which [[GNOME]] is built
* [[KDE Frameworks]] – the equivalent upon which [[KDE Software Compilation]] is built
* [[List of C++ template libraries]]
* [[:Category:Software using the Boost license|Software using the Boost license (category)]]
* [[Standard Template Library]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
* {{Cite book | first1 = Robert | last1 = Demming | first2 = Daniel J. | last2 = Duffy | year = 2010 | title = Introduction to the Boost C++ Libraries | volume = 1 - Foundations | publisher = Datasim | isbn = 978-94-91028-01-4 | name-list-style = amp }}
* {{Cite book | first1 = Robert | last1 = Demming | first2 = Daniel J. | last2 = Duffy | year = 2012 | title = Introduction to the Boost C++ Libraries | volume = 2 - Advanced Libraries | publisher = Datasim | isbn = 978-94-91028-02-1 | name-list-style = amp }}
* {{Cite book | first1 = Arindam | last1 = Mukherjee | year = 2015 | title = Learning Boost C++ Libraries | publisher = Packt | isbn = 978-1-78355-121-7}}
* {{Cite book | first = Antony | last = Polukhin | year = 2013 | title = Boost C++ Application Development Cookbook | publisher = Packt | isbn = 978-1-84951-488-0}}
* {{Cite book | first = Antony | last = Polukhin | year = 2017 | title = Boost C++ Application Development Cookbook | publisher = Packt | isbn = 978-1-78728-224-7 | edition = 2 }}
* {{Cite book | first = Boris | last = Schäling | year = 2011 | title = The Boost C++ Libraries | publisher = XML Press | isbn = 978-0-9822191-9-5 }}
* {{Cite book | first = Boris | last = Schäling | year = 2014 | title = The Boost C++ Libraries | publisher = XML Press | isbn = 978-1-937434-36-6 | edition = 2 | pages = 570 }}
* {{Cite book | first1 = Jeremy G. | last1 = Siek | first2 = Lie-Quan | last2 = Lee | first3 = Andrew | last3 = Lumsdaine | year = 2001 | title = The Boost Graph Library: User Guide and Reference Manual | publisher = Addison-Wesley | isbn = 978-0-201-72914-6 | name-list-style = amp }}

== External links ==
{{Wikibooks|C++ Programming|Libraries/Boost}}
* {{Official website}}

{{Parallel computing}} <!-- mentions boost -->

[[Category:C++]]
[[Category:C++ libraries]]
[[Category:Data structures libraries and frameworks]]
[[Category:Free computer libraries]]
[[Category:Free software programmed in C++]]
[[Category:Generic programming]]
[[Category:Software using the Boost license]]