Compile a C++ code snippet using G++ dynamically

Question

Working on a C++ based application, it takes user input and generates a C++ function and compile it to create a .so file and links the function to the main application. Currently had to call an external command "g++" to do it. Wonder if it's possible to call some kind of function, say, "compile" which takes as input an code snippet and produces an .so. More precisely, I need a function that has the following syntax:

sizeOfObjBuf = compile(codeBuf, objBuf);

First parameter is a null terminated string containing a code snippet, the second parameter is the output buffer that hold the compiled code and it returns the size of size of compiled code.

The whole idea is to get rid of dependency on an external program (g++) so the application can run on any Linux system (even when it doesn't have g++ installed).

Thanks.

You're essentially looking for a C++ compiler-as-a-library, which I have not seen. Given C/C++'s reliance on a decent number of header and related library files I'm not sure it's practical to wrap it all up inside a library. — Joe
– Joe, Commented Apr 29, 2014 at 1:14
You aren't going to save much by not having g++ installed. Any compiler is going to require megabytes of header files and library support. — Zan Lynx
– Zan Lynx, Commented Apr 29, 2014 at 1:18

Richard Hodges · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-29 01:06:51Z

1

I'm afraid the answer is "no".

answered Apr 29, 2014 at 1:06

Richard Hodges

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2 Comments

packetie Over a year ago

I guess g++ itself probably will depend on some sort of compiling libraries to do its job. If I can call that library, that would be super.

Basile Starynkevitch Over a year ago

No, GCC is not a library. It is a (set of) programs. Indeed g++ is just a driver program, the real compilation is done by /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/4.8/cc1plus

Wyzard · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-29 01:10:17Z

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You could implement that function by executing G++ (or some other compiler) in a separate process and waiting for it to finish, but that still requires the user to have a compiler installed.

You can't compile C++ code without a C++ compiler.

answered Apr 29, 2014 at 1:10

Wyzard

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3 Comments

packetie Over a year ago

I would to use the same compiling library that C++ compiler (g++) uses. Thanks.

Wyzard Over a year ago

G++ doesn't use a "compiling library"; the g++ command-line program directly invokes the various build stages (e.g. compiler, assembler, linker). The Clang compiler, however, does have a library interface, so that might be what you're looking for. But users of your program will still need to install the Clang library.

packetie Over a year ago

thanks for mentioning CLang too. I will check it out.

Zan Lynx · Accepted Answer · 2014-04-29 01:12:50Z

I am not going to do the research to figure out how it is done, but I believe the LLVM C++ compiler can be used in this way. All of the parts of LLVM are designed to run as a library, in theory.

OK, a tiny bit of research and I found this: http://clang.llvm.org/docs/LibTooling.html

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