A C/C++ package manager
Nicely Packaged
© Lead Image © Hung Ling Tie, 123RF.com
If you use a state-of-the-art language such as C/C++, you need a package manager in your toolbox for managing libraries and their dependencies. Microsoft's vcpkg package manager offers an easy-to-use, platform-independent solution.
Today, hardly any developer writes the complete source code for an application. Preconfigured libraries for logging, database access, or a geometric modeling kernel speed up solution development. Using libraries lets compilers and linkers access a library's header files and DLLs, whether the libraries are used directly or referenced. Tools such as Maven for Java or NuGet for C# elegantly solve this task. At build time, they fetch the specified libraries from the Internet and resolve their transitive dependencies.
This type of package manager uses two different file types: the package description and the library file. In addition to the library's name and version, the package description contains a list of the other required libraries. Depending on the language used, the libraries themselves are available, say, as Java archives (JAR), C# DLLs, or JavaScript files. Both file types are typically provided on central servers such as Maven Central [1] or NuGet.org [2] and can be downloaded from there.
Your application includes a package description listing the required libraries. The package manager then downloads the requested package descriptions and library files from the central server before compiling. The package manager also takes care of resolving transitive dependencies before the build process starts using the library file, which is now available locally.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
KDE Linux Drops AUR
KDE Linux developers have dropped the Arch User Repository from the build pipeline due to security concerns; other distributions should consider doing the same.
-
California May Exempt Linux from Its Age-Verification Law
After backlash from the Linux community, California may be backing off on its promise to force all operating systems to verify age, but one platform may still have to comply.
-
Another Logic Bug Found in Linux Kernel
Qualys has discovered a vulnerability in the Linux kernel that can be used to elevate standard user privileges.
-
Ubuntu Core 26 Offers Game-Changing Enterprise Features
Ubuntu Core 26 could be a game-changer for organizations looking for increased security and reliability.
-
AI Flooding the Linux Kernel Security Mailing List
AI is giving Linus Torvalds a headache, but not in the way you might think.
-
Top Priorities for Open Source Pros Seeking a New Job
Professional fulfillment tops the list, according to LPI report.
-
Container-Based Fedora Hummingbird Designed for Agent-First Builders
Fedora Hummingbird brings the same approach to the host OS as it does to containers to level up security.
-
Linux kernel Developers Considering a Kill Switch
With the rise of Linux vulnerabilities, the kernel developers are now considering adding a component that could help temporarily mitigate against them… in the form of a kill switch.
-
Fedora 44 Now Gaming Ready
The latest version of Fedora has been released with gaming support.
-
Manjaro 26.1 Preview Unveils New Features
The latest Manjaro 26.1 preview has been released with new desktop versions, a new kernel, and more.