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Installing Boson Framework

This guide will help you install the Boson framework and set up your development environment. Boson supports all major operating systems and can be installed through various methods to suit your workflow.

System Requirements​

Before installing Boson, ensure your system meets these requirements:

Minimum Requirements​

  • C++ Compiler with C++17 support:
    • GCC 7.3+
    • Clang 6.0+
    • MSVC 2017+ (Visual Studio 2017 15.7+)
  • CMake 3.14 or higher
  • OpenSSL 1.1.1 or higher (for HTTPS support)
  • git (for downloading source and examples)
  • At least 1GB free disk space
  • C++ Compiler: Latest stable GCC 10+, Clang 12+, or MSVC 2022
  • Build System: Ninja (faster builds than Make)
  • Editor: Visual Studio Code with C++ extension, CLion, or other C++ IDE
  • Package Manager: vcpkg (Windows), Homebrew (macOS), or apt/dnf (Linux)

Quick Installation​

macOS/Linux​

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S1D007/boson/main/install.sh | bash

This script will:

  • Download the latest Boson CLI and framework for your platform
  • Install it to ~/.local/bin (or another directory in your PATH)
  • Install the Boson library for development
  • Set up auto-update capabilities

Windows​

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri https://raw.githubusercontent.com/S1D007/boson/main/install.ps1 -UseBasicParsing | Invoke-Expression

This script will:

  • Download the latest Boson CLI release for Windows
  • Install it to %USERPROFILE%\.boson\bin
  • Add the install path to your system PATH
  • Install the Boson library for development
  • Set up auto-update capabilities

ℹ️ Note: You may need to restart your terminal after installation for the boson command to be recognized.

Building from Source​

For those who prefer to build from source or need the latest development version:

Step 1: Clone the Repository​

git clone https://github.com/S1D007/boson.git
cd boson

Step 2: Create Build Directory​

mkdir build && cd build

Step 3: Configure with CMake​

# Basic configuration
cmake ..

# Or for a release build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release

# Or with custom options
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DBOSON_WITH_SQLITE=ON -DBOSON_BUILD_EXAMPLES=ON

Step 4: Build and Install​

# Build the project
cmake --build .

# Install system-wide (may require sudo/administrator)
cmake --install .

Available CMake Options​

OptionDescriptionDefault
BOSON_BUILD_EXAMPLESBuild example applicationsON
BOSON_WITH_SQLITEEnable SQLite database supportOFF
BUILD_TESTSBuild testsOFF

Verifying Your Installation​

Using the CLI​

After installation, open a new terminal and run:

boson --version

You should see the Boson CLI version information.

Testing a Simple Application​

Create a file named test.cpp:

#include <boson/boson.hpp>
#include <iostream>

int main() {
    std::cout << "Boson installed successfully!" << std::endl;
    
    boson::initialize();
    boson::Server app;
    
    app.get("/", [](const boson::Request& req, boson::Response& res) {
        res.send("Hello, Boson!");
    });
    
    std::cout << "Server configured successfully!" << std::endl;
    
    // Don't actually start the server for this test
    return 0;
}

Compile with:

# Using g++
g++ -std=c++17 test.cpp -lboson -o test

# Or using clang++
clang++ -std=c++17 test.cpp -lboson -o test

# Or using MSVC
cl /std:c++17 test.cpp /I path\to\boson\include /link boson.lib

Run the test:

./test  # or test.exe on Windows

If you see "Boson installed successfully!" and "Server configured successfully!" messages, your installation is working correctly.

Keeping Boson Up to Date​

Using the CLI​

# Check for updates
boson update

Troubleshooting​

Common Issues​

Missing Libraries​

If you encounter errors about missing libraries during compilation:

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install libssl-dev build-essential pkg-config

# Fedora/RHEL/CentOS
sudo dnf install openssl-devel gcc-c++ make

# macOS
brew install openssl

# Windows (vcpkg)
vcpkg install openssl:x64-windows

CMake Can't Find Boson​

Add the installation directory to your CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH:

cmake .. -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/path/to/boson/installation

Path Issues on Windows​

If Windows can't find the Boson executable or libraries:

  1. Check if the Boson bin directory is in your PATH
  2. Ensure the DLLs are either in your PATH or in the same directory as your executable
  3. Try restarting your terminal or system

Getting Help​

If you encounter issues not covered here:

Manual Uninstallation​

macOS/Linux​

# Remove CLI and framework files
rm -rf ~/.local/bin/boson ~/.boson

Windows​

# Remove CLI and framework files
Remove-Item -Recurse -Force "$env:USERPROFILE\.boson"

You may also need to remove the installation directory from your PATH environment variable.

Next Steps​

Now that you have Boson installed, you're ready to start building web applications!

Ready to begin? Create your first project →