Link: https://gist.github.com/siberex/7ff8b24778a31124b178a299442159d6
| Aspect | Abseil | Boost |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Modern C++ utilities for performance, simplicity, and Google-style coding. | Broad, comprehensive set of libraries for general-purpose C++ development. |
| Design Philosophy | Focuses on modern C++ (C++11/14/17), clean APIs, and production-grade code. | Older, supports pre-C++11, with some legacy and verbose APIs. |
| Size & Scope | Leaner, focused on core utilities (e.g., containers, strings, time). | Massive, with over 160 libraries (e.g., networking, math, filesystem). |
| License | Apache 2.0 with LLVM exception, permissive and industry-friendly. | Boost Software License, also permissive but distinct. |
| Dependencies | Minimal external dependencies; integrates well with modern C++ projects. | Some libraries have dependencies; can be heavier to integrate. |
| Performance | Optimized for Google’s production needs (e.g., low latency, memory usage). | High performance but not always as tightly optimized for specific use cases. |
| Standards Compliance | Strictly leverages modern C++ standards; avoids deprecated features. | Supports older compilers; some libraries use pre-standard or deprecated features. |
| Community & Governance | Maintained by Google, with a focus on internal consistency and stability. | Community-driven, with diverse contributors; can feel less cohesive. |
| Containers | Provides modern containers like absl::flat_hash_map, optimized for speed. | Offers containers like boost::unordered_map, but less modern in some cases. |
| Portability | Targets modern platforms and compilers; less focus on legacy systems. | Strong legacy support, including older compilers and platforms. |
| Documentation | Concise, modern, and consistent with Google’s style guide. | Comprehensive but can be inconsistent or dated for some libraries. |
- Abseil:
- absl::flat_hash_map/flat_hash_set: High-performance, memory-efficient hash containers.
- absl::string_view: Lightweight, non-owning string reference.
- absl::time: Robust time and duration utilities.
- absl::status: Error handling with status codes.
- Boost:
- boost::asio: Networking and asynchronous I/O.
- boost::filesystem: Portable filesystem operations.
- boost::spirit: Parser and generator framework.
- boost::multiprecision: Arbitrary-precision arithmetic.
Boost is preferable in the following cases:
- Legacy Codebases or Older Compilers:
- Boost supports pre-C++11 environments, making it ideal for projects stuck on older compilers (e.g., pre-C++11) or platforms.
- Specialized Libraries:
- Boost offers unique libraries like boost::asio (networking), boost::spirit (parsing), or boost::multiprecision (high-precision math), which Abseil lacks.
- Broad Ecosystem:
- If your project needs a wide range of utilities (e.g., graph algorithms, serialization, or regex), Boost’s extensive collection is unmatched.
- Community Contributions:
- Boost’s community-driven model allows for niche or experimental libraries that may not exist elsewhere.
- Standardization Influence:
- Many Boost libraries (e.g., shared_ptr, filesystem) inspired C++ standards. Use Boost if you need features not yet in your standard library.
Abseil is preferable in the following cases:
- Modern C++ Projects:
- Abseil is built for C++11/14/17 and later, leveraging modern language features (e.g., move semantics, type traits) for cleaner, safer code. Ideal for projects using recent compilers.
- Performance-Critical Applications:
- Abseil’s containers (e.g., absl::flat_hash_map) are highly optimized for low latency and memory efficiency, often outperforming Boost and standard library equivalents in Google’s production benchmarks.
- Minimal Dependencies:
- Abseil has fewer external dependencies, making it easier to integrate into projects where lean builds are critical.
- Google-Style Code Consistency:
- If your project follows Google’s C++ style guide or needs production-grade utilities (e.g., absl::Status for error handling), Abseil aligns perfectly.
- Simplicity and Maintainability:
- Abseil’s APIs are designed to be intuitive and consistent, reducing complexity for teams working on large-scale systems.
- Hash Maps:
- Abseil (absl::flat_hash_map): Uses open-addressing, highly cache-efficient, and optimized for modern hardware. It’s faster for most use cases but may use more memory for small datasets.
- Boost (boost::unordered_map): Based on chaining, solid but less cache-friendly than Abseil’s. Better for legacy systems or when you need compatibility with older C++ standards.
- Strings:
- Abseil (absl::string_view): Lightweight, non-owning, and integrates well with std::string and modern C++ APIs.
- Boost: Lacks a direct equivalent but offers string algorithms (e.g., boost::algorithm::string) for specific tasks.
- Other Containers:
- Abseil provides specialized containers like absl::btree_map/set for ordered data with better performance than std::map/set in some cases.
- Boost’s containers (e.g., boost::container::flat_map) are less specialized but offer broader compatibility.
- Choose Abseil if:
- You’re building a new project with modern C++ (C++11 or later).
- Performance (e.g., low-latency hash tables) is critical.
- You prefer a lean, cohesive library with minimal bloat.
- Your team values Google’s coding standards or uses Abseil’s error-handling mechanisms (absl::Status).
- Choose Boost if:
- You need specialized libraries like networking (boost::asio), parsing (boost::spirit), or advanced math (boost::multiprecision).
- Your project runs on older compilers or platforms.
- You’re working in a domain where Boost’s extensive ecosystem (e.g., graph algorithms, serialization) is already in use.
- You need features that may later become part of the C++ standard but aren’t yet available in your compiler.
- Abseil: Best for modern, high-performance, production-grade C++ projects with a focus on simplicity and efficiency. Ideal for Google-style workflows or when you need state-of-the-art containers.
- Boost: Best for legacy systems, broad feature sets, or when you need specialized libraries not covered by Abseil or the standard library.