Understanding C++ boost library the easy way

Question

I have been using C++ boost library for about 2 years now. However, I haven't found any good documentation that gives an overview of how its various components have been implemented and the involved basic principles for implementation.

I am aware of the following resources, that cover bits and parts of boost.

1) Boost documentation - Mainly deals with usage of the library - that too very brief - I usually employ "kodesearch" and "google code search" to find examples of usages of the library, but it is somewhat cumbersome. Another place to search is the boost mailing list, but search of mailing lists is usually even more time-taking.

2) Book "C++ Template Metaprogramming" - There are 1-2 other books on templates but their main focus is templates in general and the possibilities of using templates, and boost is only scratched on the side.

3) Book "Boost Graph Library" - This comes closer to what I want, but still the main focus is the graph library (discusses some general boost techniques though).

Do you know of anything that can give me a holistic view of boost?

Answer 1

My only experince with boost has been this and it was for a rather simple project and I'm doing quite fine with the same tools that you've mentioned above. http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Standard-Library-Introduction-Boost/dp/0321133544

With two years of programming in your belt, how about contributing some of your snippets, documentations (maybe in internal wiki, notebooks to the community too)?

Answer 2

There is Beyond the C++ Standard Library: An Introduction to Boost by Björn Karlsson.

Part of the problem is that Boost isn't a single library. It is a collection of many libraries, written by different authors and documented to greater or lesser degrees. The Boost organization has standards for the inclusion of a library into boost, but it will never be as integrated and polished as a something from a commercial vendor. That is not to say that Boost isn't a high quality library.

If you have particular questions, why not ask them here?