Re: [boost] C++ Deflate (zlib-like) library

On Sat, Mar 7, 2020, 8:40 PM Vinnie Falco via Boost wrote:

On Sat, Mar 7, 2020 at 1:05 PM Edward Diener via Boost wrote:

...

Please stop with this mantra of library X not depending on any other Boost library and reinventing constructs offered by other Boost libraries ( or elsewhere ). It is not the way most programmers create library software.

I'm not saying that this applies to all libraries. Having every library invent every wheel is clearly not sustainable. But neither is introducing a dependency on Boost just because you want to call boost::exchange or because you want the BOOST_NODISCARD macro.

The decision on whether to introduce a dependency should never be automatic one way or the other. It should be a carefully considered choice which balances the costs against the benefits. Now it just so happens, for JSON, URL, and ZLib, this balance is obviously in favor of having no dependencies. These libraries make sense as "leaf" libraries (terminal nodes in the directed acyclic graph of dependencies).

Although it is irrational, there are many who view Boost as "too big"

Several GB installed is large and not irrational! On the other hand, the use of c++17 with the oldest compiler, barely working, is irrational. or having "too much legacy code" or whatever. As JSON libraries are in

high demand, there's value in ensuring that my library has no dependencies. This equation changes depending on the library of course.

--

My advice on requiring C++17 for standalone versions of libraries is actually not applicable to deflate, since deflate doesn't need std::optional or std::string_view (or their Boost equivalents). A standalone version of deflate could and should require only C++11.

Thanks

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