I think that header-only packages (where possible) are definitely preferable within the R package ecosystem because it allows you to sidestep a lot of build configuration and runtime linking complexity.
The rub is that some libraries simply can't be made header-only, especially if they make use of static data. I was able to convert the TinyThread library to header-only by simply prefacing all function/method definitions with the inline keyword. However that was a pretty small library so I'm not sure you'd have the same easy time of it with a larger library like clBLAS. On Tue, Apr 7, 2015 at 2:37 PM, Charles Determan <cdeterma...@gmail.com> wrote: > This is probably the best place I can think of to ask this question if > perhaps not completely on topic. Some quick context: > > I am exploring GPGPU computing and with my 'open-source' mindset I quickly > gravitated to using OpenCL. Thankfully, many wonderful programmers have > already begun creating libraries to make this language better and faster. > One such library is the clBLAS library which essentially implements BLAS > routines for OpenCL enabled devices. Naturally, I would like to use this > library but I don't like the idea of telling users to install a dependency > outside of R and would rather have them install another package. Therefore, > I have it in my head to create a header package for the clBLAS library to be > used by anyone exploring OpenCL programming within R. > > This leads me to my two general questions that I hope others can comment. > > 1. What are developers thoughts regarding the 'packaging' of various C++ > header libraries? I know this has be very successfully done with the 'BH' > package but is this considered an exception or an example? > > 2. If it is encouraged to create such header packages are there any > guidelines or standards that should be followed? Is there an expected > structure? I can look at the 'BH' package and go from there but it would be > nice if the R(cpp) community had some collective opinion about this. > > Regards, > Charles > > _______________________________________________ > Rcpp-devel mailing list > Rcpp-devel@lists.r-forge.r-project.org > https://lists.r-forge.r-project.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/rcpp-devel _______________________________________________ Rcpp-devel mailing list Rcpp-devel@lists.r-forge.r-project.org https://lists.r-forge.r-project.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/rcpp-devel
