This chapter details the steps of getting everything in place to be able to use rpclib.

What you need

Compiler

rpclib is compatible with C++11, but it's also able to take advantage of C++14 if the compiler supports it. At the moment, the oldest versions of the major compilers are the following:

• g++ 4.9
• clang++ 3.7
• MSVC 2015 Update 3

Newer versions of these compilers are expected to work, of course.

Tools

In addition to a capable compiler, you will need:

• CMake 3.x
• And either
  • GNU make, or
  • Ninja, or
  • MSBuild/Visual Studio (on Microsoft Windows).

The library

There are various release packages available for the most popular systems and ideally you should install one of those. If there is no suitable package for your system or you simply prefer to build from source, take a look at the Compiling chapter.

!!! info rpclib uses CMake and has a very conventional build process. If you know how to build a CMake-based library, you know how to build rpclib.

Dependencies

rpclib is completely self-contained, i.e. you don't need to install any extra libraries to use it. The library does use third-party code, but it is hidden both during compilation and linking (i.e. it means you don't need to worry about linking against those same libraries).

!!! tip See the Internals documentation for details on how rpclib handles its dependencies.

Setting up your environment

In order to use rpclib in your projects, you will need to have it built and stored somewhere on your system. Place the rpclib headers into your include path, and link the static library with your executable. The exact process of that depends on your compiler and/or IDE.

Where to go from here

Now that you have an environment where you can compile and link programs with rpclib, either check out the Primer for a step-by-step tutorial or the Cookbook, if you prefer short examples with minimal instructions.