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## Chapter 3. The Boost Algorithm Library

### Marshall Clow

Copyright © 2010-2012 Marshall Clow

Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)

## Description and Rationale

Boost.Algorithm is a collection of general purpose algorithms. While Boost contains many libraries of data structures, there is no single library for general purpose algorithms. Even though the algorithms are generally useful, many tend to be thought of as "too small" for Boost.

An implementation of Boyer-Moore searching, for example, might take a developer a week or so to implement, including test cases and documentation. However, scheduling a review to include that code into Boost might take several months, and run into resistance because "it is too small". Nevertheless, a library of tested, reviewed, documented algorithms can make the developer's life much easier, and that is the purpose of this library.

#### Future plans

I will be soliciting submissions from other developers, as well as looking through the literature for existing algorithms to include. The Adobe Source Library, for example, contains many useful algorithms that already have documentation and test cases. Knuth's The Art of Computer Programming is chock-full of algorithm descriptions, too.

My goal is to run regular algorithm reviews, similar to the Boost library review process, but with smaller chunks of code.

#### Dependencies

Boost.Algorithm uses Boost.Range, Boost.Assert, Boost.Array, Boost.TypeTraits, and Boost.StaticAssert.

#### Acknowledgements

Thanks to all the people who have reviewed this library and made suggestions for improvements. Steven Watanabe and Sean Parent, in particular, have provided a great deal of help.

Last revised: April 17, 2017 at 02:30:26 GMT |