more/getting_started/detail/header-only.rst

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.. Copyright David Abrahams 2006. Distributed under the Boost
.. Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
.. file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
Header-Only Libraries
=====================
The first thing many people want to know is, “how do I build
Boost?” The good news is that often, there's nothing to build.
.. admonition:: Nothing to Build?
Most Boost libraries are **header-only**: they consist *entirely
of header files* containing templates and inline functions, and
require no separately-compiled library binaries or special
treatment when linking.
.. .. _separate:
The only Boost libraries that *must* be built separately are:
* Boost.Chrono_
* Boost.Context_
* Boost.Filesystem_
* Boost.GraphParallel_
* Boost.IOStreams_
* Boost.Locale_
* Boost.Log_ (see `build documentation`__)
* Boost.MPI_
* Boost.ProgramOptions_
* Boost.Python_ (see the `Boost.Python build documentation`__
before building and installing it)
* Boost.Regex_
* Boost.Serialization_
* Boost.Thread_
* Boost.Timer_
* Boost.Wave_
__ ../../libs/log/doc/html/log/installation/config.html
__ ../../libs/python/doc/html/building.html
A few libraries have optional separately-compiled binaries:
* Boost.Graph_ also has a binary component that is only needed if
you intend to `parse GraphViz files`__.
* Boost.Math_ has binary components for the TR1 and C99
cmath functions.
* Boost.Random_ has a binary component which is only needed if
you're using ``random_device``.
* Boost.Test_ can be used in “header-only” or “separately compiled”
mode, although **separate compilation is recommended for serious
use**.
* Boost.Exception_ provides non-intrusive implementation of
exception_ptr for 32-bit _MSC_VER==1310 and _MSC_VER==1400
which requires a separately-compiled binary. This is enabled by
#define BOOST_ENABLE_NON_INTRUSIVE_EXCEPTION_PTR.
* Boost.System_ is header-only since Boost 1.69. A stub library is
still built for compatibility, but linking to it is no longer
necessary.
__ ../../libs/graph/doc/read_graphviz.html