Boost C++ Libraries

Boost is a set of high-performance, peer-reviewed C++ libraries that extend the functionality of the standard library (STL). Many parts of Boost have even been incorporated into the C++ Standard Library over time.

🔹 Key Features of Boost

• Cross-platform: Works on Windows, Linux, macOS
• Header-only and compiled libraries: Some libraries require compilation, others are just headers
• Modern C++ support: Compatible with C++11, C++14, C++17, and C++20
• Widely used in industry: Found in HFT, finance, game development, AI, and more

🔹 Popular Boost Libraries

Here are some of the most useful libraries:

🔹 Installing Boost on Ubuntu 🐧

You can install the header-only version easily or compile it if needed.

1️⃣ Install Precompiled Boost (Most Common)

sudo apt update
sudo apt install libboost-all-dev

🔹 This installs all Boost libraries in /usr/include/boost/.

2️⃣ Compile Boost from Source (Optional)

If you need the latest version or specific compiled components:

wget https://boostorg.jfrog.io/artifactory/main/release/1.83.0/source/boost_1_83_0.tar.gz
tar -xvzf boost_1_83_0.tar.gz
cd boost_1_83_0
./bootstrap.sh
./b2
sudo ./b2 install

🔹 This installs Boost in /usr/local/include/boost/.

🔹 Using Boost in Your C++ Code

Example: Smart Pointers (shared_ptr)

#include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
#include <iostream>

int main() {
    boost::shared_ptr<int> ptr(new int(10));
    std::cout << "Value: " << *ptr << std::endl;
    return 0;
}

Compile with:

g++ main.cpp -o main -lboost_system -lboost_filesystem

(Not all Boost libraries require linking—some are header-only.)

🔹 Should You Use Boost in 2025?

✅ Yes, if:

• You need advanced functionality (e.g., boost::asio for networking)
• You’re working on high-performance finance/HFT applications
• You want pre-C++11 support (e.g., boost::shared_ptr)

❌ No, if:

• Standard C++ (C++17+) already provides what you need
• You prefer smaller dependencies

Key Boost Libraries & Use Cases

Here’s a breakdown of important Boost libraries and how they’re used:

🔹 Memory Management & Smart Pointers

These were popular before C++11, but still useful today.

• boost::shared_ptr – Reference-counted smart pointer (like std::shared_ptr)
• boost::unique_ptr – Exclusive ownership (like std::unique_ptr)
• boost::weak_ptr – Prevents circular references

Example:

#include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
#include <iostream>

int main() {
    boost::shared_ptr<int> ptr(new int(42));
    std::cout << "Value: " << *ptr << std::endl;
    return 0;
}

🔹 Multithreading & Concurrency

Boost provides powerful threading utilities.

• boost::thread – Portable thread creation (before std::thread)
• boost::mutex – Thread synchronization
• boost::condition_variable – Event-based thread waiting

Example: Creating Threads

#include <boost/thread.hpp>
#include <iostream>

void task() {
    std::cout << "Hello from thread!" << std::endl;
}

int main() {
    boost::thread t(task);
    t.join();
    return 0;
}

🔹 Boost Asynchronous I/O (boost::asio)

The most-used Boost library, especially for networking, sockets, timers.

• Used in trading systems, game engines, and web servers
• Supports non-blocking networking
• Works with TCP, UDP, SSL

Example: Asynchronous Timer

#include <boost/asio.hpp>
#include <iostream>

void print(const boost::system::error_code&) {
    std::cout << "Timer expired!" << std::endl;
}

int main() {
    boost::asio::io_context io;
    boost::asio::steady_timer timer(io, boost::asio::chrono::seconds(3));
    timer.async_wait(print);
    io.run();
    return 0;
}

📌 Use Case: High-Frequency Trading (HFT) & financial systems love boost::asio for low-latency networking.

🔹 Boost Filesystem (boost::filesystem)

Before C++17’s std::filesystem, Boost provided file and directory handling.

Example: Check if a file exists

#include <boost/filesystem.hpp>
#include <iostream>

int main() {
    boost::filesystem::path p("test.txt");

    if (boost::filesystem::exists(p))
        std::cout << "File exists!" << std::endl;
    else
        std::cout << "File does not exist!" << std::endl;
    
    return 0;
}

📌 Use Case: Backup software, file managers, log processing

🔹 Boost Regex (boost::regex)

Before C++11’s std::regex, Boost was the go-to for regular expressions.

Example: Regex Matching

#include <boost/regex.hpp>
#include <iostream>

int main() {
    boost::regex pattern("\\d+");
    std::string text = "User123";

    if (boost::regex_search(text, pattern))
        std::cout << "Found a number in the string!" << std::endl;
}

📌 Use Case: Log file parsing, pattern matching, data validation

🔹 Boost Serialization (boost::serialization)

Allows saving/loading C++ objects (binary, XML, JSON).

Example: Serialize an Object

#include <boost/archive/text_oarchive.hpp>
#include <boost/archive/text_iarchive.hpp>
#include <fstream>
#include <iostream>

class Data {
public:
    int x;
    
    template<class Archive>
    void serialize(Archive & ar, const unsigned int version) {
        ar & x;
    }
};

int main() {
    Data d1;
    d1.x = 42;

    std::ofstream ofs("data.txt");
    boost::archive::text_oarchive oa(ofs);
    oa << d1;
    
    return 0;
}

📌 Use Case: Game save files, data persistence, network transmission

🔹 Boost Containers (boost::unordered_map, boost::flat_map)

Boost offers high-performance containers that outperform STL in some cases.

Example: Boost Flat Map

#include <boost/container/flat_map.hpp>
#include <iostream>

int main() {
    boost::container::flat_map<int, std::string> map;
    map[1] = "One";
    map[2] = "Two";

    std::cout << map[1] << std::endl;
    return 0;
}

📌 Use Case: HFT, low-latency applications prefer flat_map due to better cache locality.

Summary Table