How to use the C++ Sockets Library

Question

Hi,

I'd like to do some network socket programming in C++ and have found the C++ Sockets library.

First, is this a good way to go in C++? Normally in C, I'd use some of the stuff beej describes in his tutorial.

Second, how do I compile the examples given on the site? I can't figure it out from their installation/configuration guide. So I download the tar.gz to my Linux box, then what?

To have a specific example, how do I compile and run the DisplaySocket example?

Thanks.

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EDIT: Thank you for the quick answers. A comment though. I'm not really looking into "understanding" network programming as I think I do that well enough already. I want to know if there's anything in particular to take advantage of in C++, and - if "the C++ Sockets Library" is a good choice - how to use it.

Answer 1

Network programming would be better understood by using basic socket api (BSD or WinSock) rather than a socket library which hides most of the intricacies about sockets and their behaviour.

Answer 2

That's not "the" C++ sockets library, it's "a" C++ sockets library. Boost.asio has another (http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_39_0/doc/html/boost_asio.html).

(Community Wiki since I can't actually help you with your question - I've never compiled the code you ask about, so I don't know at what point you might have tripped over a problem).

Answer 3

I like to use the ACE networking library when I write networking code in C++. I think it does a nice job abstracting some of the intricate details away that make network coding painful but doesn't do it to the point where it hides what is going on under the hood. It also has facilities for threading and messaging which usually are needed for any project.

Answer 4

I would second the vote for boost::asio since it encapsulates the inversion of control model that is the current, preferred model, and appears to be standard-bound. To learn what the documentation doesn't tell you, google Douglas Schmidt and his books.