boost_beast/doc/1_overview.qbk

[/
    Copyright (c) 2013-2017 Vinnie Falco (vinnie dot falco at gmail dot com)

    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)
]

[section:overview Introduction]

Beast is a C++ header-only library serving as a foundation for writing
interoperable networking libraries by providing [*low-level HTTP/1,
WebSocket, and networking protocol] vocabulary types and algorithms
using the consistent asynchronous model of __Asio__.

This library is designed for:

* [*Symmetry:] Algorithms are role-agnostic; build clients, servers, or both.

* [*Ease of Use:] __Asio__ users will immediately understand Beast.

* [*Flexibility:] Users make the important decisions such as buffer or
  thread management.

* [*Performance:] Build applications handling thousands of connections or more.

* [*Basis for Further Abstraction.] Components are well-suited for building upon.

Beast is not an HTTP client or HTTP server, but it can be used to build
those things.

[heading Motivation]

Beast empowers users to create their own libraries, clients, and servers
using HTTP/1 and WebSocket. Code will be easier and faster to implement,
understand, and maintain, because Beast takes care of the low-level
protocol details.
The HTTP and WebSocket protocols drive most of the World Wide Web.
Every web browser implements these protocols to load webpages and
to enable client side programs (often written in JavaScript) to
communicate interactively. C++ benefits greatly from having a
standardized implementation of these protocols.

[heading Requirements]

[important
    This library is for programmers familiar with __Asio__. Users who
    wish to use asynchronous interfaces should already know how to
    create concurrent network programs using callbacks or coroutines.
]

Beast requires:

* [*C++11:] Robust support for most language features.
* [*Boost:] Beast only works with Boost, not stand-alone Asio
* [*OpenSSL:] Optional, for using TLS/Secure sockets.

Supported compilers: msvc-14+, gcc 4.8+, clang 3.6+

Sources are [*header-only]. To link a program using Beast successfully, add the
[@http://www.boost.org/libs/system/doc/reference.html Boost.System]
library to the list of linked libraries. If you use coroutines
you'll also need the
[@http://www.boost.org/libs/coroutine/doc/html/index.html Boost.Coroutine]
library. Please visit the
[@http://www.boost.org/doc/ Boost documentation]
for instructions on how to do this for your particular build system.

[heading Credits]

Boost.Asio is the inspiration behind which all of the interfaces and
implementation strategies are built. Some parts of the documentation are
written to closely resemble the wording and presentation of Boost.Asio
documentation. Credit goes to
[@https://github.com/chriskohlhoff Christopher Kohlhoff]
for his wonderful Asio library and the ideas in __N4588__ which power Beast.

Beast would not be possible without the support of
[@https://www.ripple.com Ripple]
during the library's early development, or the ideas, time and patience
contributed by
[@https://github.com/JoelKatz David Schwartz],
[@https://github.com/ximinez Edward Hennis],
[@https://github.com/howardhinnant Howard Hinnant],
[@https://github.com/miguelportilla Miguel Portilla],
[@https://github.com/nbougalis Nik Bougalis],
[@https://github.com/seelabs Scott Determan],
[@https://github.com/scottschurr Scott Schurr],
Many thanks to
[@https://github.com/K-ballo Agustín Bergé],
[@http://www.boost.org/users/people/glen_fernandes.html Glen Fernandes],
and
[@https://github.com/pdimov Peter Dimov]
for tirelessly answering questions on
[@https://cpplang.slack.com/ Cpplang-Slack].

[endsect]