role_type is in boost/beast/core/role.hpp (API Change):

This enumeration is now part of the library core and
not specific to websocket.

include/boost/beast/core/basic_stream.hpp

@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@
 #include <boost/beast/core/detail/stream_base.hpp>
 #include <boost/beast/core/error.hpp>
 #include <boost/beast/core/rate_policy.hpp>
+#include <boost/beast/core/role.hpp>
 #include <boost/beast/core/stream_traits.hpp>
-#include <boost/beast/websocket/role.hpp> // VFALCO This is unfortunate
 #include <boost/asio/async_result.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/basic_stream_socket.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/connect.hpp>

include/boost/beast/core/impl/basic_stream.hpp

@@ -972,7 +972,7 @@ template<
     class Protocol, class Executor, class RatePolicy>
 void
 teardown(
-    websocket::role_type role,
+    role_type role,
     basic_stream<Protocol, Executor, RatePolicy>& stream,
     error_code& ec)
 {
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@ template<
     class TeardownHandler>
 void
 async_teardown(
-    websocket::role_type role,
+    role_type role,
     basic_stream<Protocol, Executor, RatePolicy>& stream,
     TeardownHandler&& handler)
 {

include/boost/beast/core/impl/flat_stream.hpp

@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ async_write_some(
 template<class NextLayer>
 void
 teardown(
-    boost::beast::websocket::role_type role,
+    boost::beast::role_type role,
     flat_stream<NextLayer>& s,
     error_code& ec)
 {
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ teardown(
 template<class NextLayer, class TeardownHandler>
 void
 async_teardown(
-    boost::beast::websocket::role_type role,
+    boost::beast::role_type role,
     flat_stream<NextLayer>& s,
     TeardownHandler&& handler)
 {

include/boost/beast/core/role.hpp

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+//
+// Copyright (c) 2016-2019 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)
+//
+// Official repository: https://github.com/boostorg/beast
+//
+
+#ifndef BOOST_BEAST_ROLE_HPP
+#define BOOST_BEAST_ROLE_HPP
+
+#include <boost/beast/core/detail/config.hpp>
+
+namespace boost {
+namespace beast {
+
+/** The role of local or remote peer.
+
+    Whether the endpoint is a client or server affects the
+    behavior of teardown.
+    The teardown behavior also depends on the type of the stream
+    being torn down.
+    
+    The default implementation of teardown for regular
+    TCP/IP sockets is as follows:
+
+    @li In the client role, a TCP/IP shutdown is sent after
+    reading all remaining data on the connection.
+
+    @li In the server role, a TCP/IP shutdown is sent before
+    reading all remaining data on the connection.
+
+    When the next layer type is a `net::ssl::stream`,
+    the connection is closed by performing the SSL closing
+    handshake corresponding to the role type, client or server.
+*/
+enum class role_type
+{
+    /// The stream is operating as a client.
+    client,
+
+    /// The stream is operating as a server.
+    server
+};
+
+} // beast
+} // boost
+
+#endif