Project Structure for Libraries
When you begin developing a C++ library, how you organize your project's files has a big impact on maintainability, clarity, and ease of collaboration. A well-structured project makes it easier for users and contributors to understand where to find public headers, private implementation files, build scripts, and tests. The standard convention for C++ libraries is to separate source files (.cpp) and public header files (.h or .hpp). Typically, you will see a structure like this:
- An
include/directory for all public headers you want users of your library to access; - A
src/directory for implementation files and any private headers; - A
tests/directory for unit tests and test data; - A
CMakeLists.txtfile (or similar build script) at the root, to define how the library is built.
This separation helps in several ways. Keeping public headers in include/ ensures that users only see the API you intend to expose, reducing accidental dependencies on internal details. Placing implementation files in src/ keeps your build clean and helps prevent users from including internal headers directly. Organizing tests separately makes it easier to automate testing and keep your main library codebase focused.
src/add.cpp
tests/test_add.cpp
include/simplemath/add.h
CMakeLists.txt
12345678#include "simplemath/add.h" namespace simplemath { int add(int a, int b) { return a + b; } }
As your library grows, you might split your src/ and include/ directories into subfolders for each module or component, or add directories for documentation, benchmarks, or integration tests. Consider using a docs/ directory for documentation and a benchmarks/ directory for performance tests. This modular approach keeps large projects manageable and helps new contributors navigate your codebase.
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When you begin developing a C++ library, how you organize your project's files has a big impact on maintainability, clarity, and ease of collaboration. A well-structured project makes it easier for users and contributors to understand where to find public headers, private implementation files, build scripts, and tests. The standard convention for C++ libraries is to separate source files (.cpp) and public header files (.h or .hpp). Typically, you will see a structure like this:
- An
include/directory for all public headers you want users of your library to access; - A
src/directory for implementation files and any private headers; - A
tests/directory for unit tests and test data; - A
CMakeLists.txtfile (or similar build script) at the root, to define how the library is built.
This separation helps in several ways. Keeping public headers in include/ ensures that users only see the API you intend to expose, reducing accidental dependencies on internal details. Placing implementation files in src/ keeps your build clean and helps prevent users from including internal headers directly. Organizing tests separately makes it easier to automate testing and keep your main library codebase focused.
src/add.cpp
tests/test_add.cpp
include/simplemath/add.h
CMakeLists.txt
12345678#include "simplemath/add.h" namespace simplemath { int add(int a, int b) { return a + b; } }
As your library grows, you might split your src/ and include/ directories into subfolders for each module or component, or add directories for documentation, benchmarks, or integration tests. Consider using a docs/ directory for documentation and a benchmarks/ directory for performance tests. This modular approach keeps large projects manageable and helps new contributors navigate your codebase.
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