The Boost C++ Libraries
Interprocess communication describes mechanisms to exchange data between programs running on the same computer. It does not include network communication. To exchange data between programs running on different computers connected through a network, see Chapter 32, which covers Boost.Asio.
This chapter presents the library Boost.Interprocess, which contains numerous classes that abstract operating system specific interfaces for interprocess communication. Even though the concepts of interprocess communication are similar between different operating systems, the interfaces can vary greatly. Boost.Interprocess provides platform-independent access.
While Boost.Asio can be used to exchange data between processes running on the same computer, Boost.Interprocess usually provides better performance. Boost.Interprocess calls operating system functions optimized for data exchange between processes running on the same computer and thus should be the first choice to exchange data without a network.