I am the author of a large number of single-file C/C++ public domain libraries .
I am not the only person who writes libraries like this, so below are other, similar libraries.
Generally, the following is a list of small, easy-to-integrate, portable libraries
which are usable from C and/or C++, and should be able to be compiled on both
32-bit and 64-bit platforms. However, I have not personally verified that any
specific lilbrary is as advertised, or is quality software.
Libraries must be usable from C or C++, ideally both
Libraries should be usable from more than one platform (ideally, all major desktops and/or all major mobile)
Libraries should compile and work on both 32-bit and 64-bit platforms
Libraries should use at most two files
Exceptions will be allowed for good reasons.
Recent additions are marked with an asterisk in the left column.
See discussion after the list.
There are a lot of JSON parsers listed here. For some analysis and performance
results, check out https://github.com/miloyip/nativejson-benchmark
Also you might be interested in other related, but different lists:
clib : list of (mostly) small single C functions (licenses not listed)CCAN : package of lots of shareable C functions (mixed licenses)
Public domain single-file libraries usable from C and C++ are in bold. Other
libraries are either non-public domain, or two files, or not usable from both C and C++, or
all three. Libraries of more than two files are mostly forbidden.
For the API column, "C" means C only, "C++" means C++ only, and "C/C++" means C/C++ usable
from either; some files may require building as C or C++ but still qualify as "C/C++" as
long as the header file uses extern "C" to make it work. (In some cases, a header-file-only
library may compile as both C or C++, but produce an implementation that can only be called from
one or the other, because of a lack of use of extern "C"; in this case the table still qualifies it
as C/C++, as this is not an obstacle to most users.)
general purpose
mathematics
parsing
graphics
audio/video/data compression
videogames operating system features
debugging, profiling, testing
other
library
license
API
files
description
micropather zlib
C++
2
pathfinding with A*
Genann zlib
C/C++
2
simple neural networks (ANN)
*
KANN MIT
C/C++
2
automatic differentiation (2 files)
library
license
API
files
description
parg public domain C
2
command-line argument parsing
flags public domain C++
1 command-line argument parsing
Argh! BSD
C++
1 command-line argument parsing
optionparser MIT
C++
1 command-line argument parsing
cmdline BSD
C++
1 command-line argument parsing
linkom MIT
C/C++
1 command-line argument parsing w/ DOS-style options
*
ProgramOptions.hxx MIT
C++
1 command-line argument parsing
library
license
API
files
description
aw_ima.h MIT
C/C++
1 IMA-ADPCM audio decoder
dr_flac public domain C/C++
1 FLAC audio decoder
dr_wav public domain C/C++
1 WAV audio loader
sts_mixer public domain C/C++
1 simple stereo audio mixer
tinysound zlib
C/C++
1 direct sound audio mixer & WAV loader
btac1c MIT
C/C++
1 MS-IMA_ADPCM variant
TinySoundFont MIT
C/C++
1 SoundFont2 loader & synthesizer
library
license
API
files
description
miniz.c public domain C/C++
1 compression,decompression, zip file, png writing
lz4 BSD
C/C++
2
fast but larger LZ compression
fastlz MIT
C/C++
2
fast but larger LZ compression
pithy BSD
C/C++
2
fast but larger LZ compression
microtar MIT
C/C++
2
lightweight tar library
library
license
API
files
description
TweetNaCl public domain C
2
high-quality tiny cryptography library
library
license
API
files
description
klib MIT
C/C++
2
many 2-file libs: hash, sort, b-tree, etc
uthash BSD
C/C++
2
several 1-header, 1-license-file libs: generic hash, list, etc
PackedArray WTFPLv2 C
2
memory-efficient array of elements with non-pow2 bitcount
minilibs public domain C
2
two-file binary tress (also regex, etc)
DG_dynarr.h public domain C/C++
1 typesafe dynamic arrays (like std::vector) for plain C
chobo-shl MIT
C++
1 several C++11 standard contaner like libraries and helpers
libpqueue BSD
C/C++
2
priority queue (heap)
simclist BSD
C/C++
2
linked-list
selist ISC
C/C++
2
space-efficient linked-list
avl public domain C/C++
2
AVL tree
library
license
API
files
description
loguru public domain C++
1 flexible logging
pempek_assert.cpp WTFPLv2 C++
2
flexible assertions
debug-assert zlib
C++
1 modular assertion macro
dbgtools zlib
C/C++
2
cross-platform debug util libraries
*
debugbreak BSD
C/C++
1 programmatic debug break
library
license
API
files
description
DG_misc.h public domain C/C++
1 Daniel Gibson's stb.h-esque cross-platform helpers: path/file, strings
whereami WTFPLv2 C/C++
2
get path/filename of executable or module
dirent MIT
C/C++
1 dirent for windows: retrieve file & dir info
TinyDir BSD
C
1 cross-platform directory reading (win/posix/mingw)
tinyfiles zlib
C/C++
1 cross-platform directory reading (win/mac/unix)
library
license
API
files
description
nv_voronoi.h public domain C/C++
1 find voronoi regions on lattice w/ integer inputs
df public domain C/C++
1 find voronoi region in linear time of size of lattice
sobol.h public domain C/C++
1 sobol & stratified sampling sequences
sdf.h MIT
C/C++
1 compute signed-distance field from antialiased image
nanoflann BSD
C++
1 build KD trees for point clouds
jc_voronoi MIT
C/C++
1 find voronoi regions on float/double data
par_msquares MIT
C/C++
1 convert (binarized) image to triangles
par_shapes MIT
C/C++
1 generate various 3d geometric shapes
Tomas Akenine-Moller snippets public domain C/C++
2
various 3D intersection calculations, not lib-ified
Clipper Boost
C++
2
line & polygon clipping & offsetting
PolyPartition MIT
C++
2
polygon triangulation, partitioning
Voxelizer MIT
C/C++
1 convert triangle mesh to voxel triangle mesh
yocto_bvh.h MIT
C/C++
1 ray-casting and closest-element queries of bounding-volume hierarchy
yocto_shape.h MIT
C/C++
1 shape generation, tesselation, normals, etc.
rjm public domain C/C++
1 marching cubes triangulator
library
license
API
files
description
rang public domain C++
1 cross-platform colored console text
library
license
API
files
description
blendish MIT
C/C++
1
blender-style widget rendering using NanoVG
tigr public domain C/C++
2
quick-n-dirty window text/graphics for Windows and OSX
noc_turtle MIT
C/C++
2
procedural graphics generator
Cimg CeCILL/CeCILL-C
C++
1 image processing toolkit (60K LoC)
library
license
API
files
description
yocto_trace.h MIT
C/C++
1 physically-based unidirectional path tracer w/ MIS for direct lights
yocto_symrigid.h MIT
C/C++
1 rigid body simulator (sequential impulse/PGS) with support for concave objects
mikktspace zlib
C/C++
2
compute tangent space for normal mapping
debug-draw public domain C++
1 API-agnostic immediate-mode debug rendering
Swarmz public domain C++
1 swarming/flocking algorithm
lightmapper public domain C/C++
1 use your OpenGL renderer to offline bake lightmaps
seamoptimizer public domain C/C++
1 modify lightmap data to hide seams
library
license
API
files
description
EasyTab public domain C/C++
1 multi-platform tablet input
libue MIT
C/C++
1
Helper library for Linux device hot-plug event
library
license
API
files
description
xxHash BSD
C/C++
2
fast hash function
library
license
API
files
description
jo_gif.cpp public domain C++
1 animated GIF writer (CPP file can also be used as H file)
gif.h public domain C++
1 animated GIF writer (can only include once)
tiny_jpeg.h public domain C/C++
1 JPEG encoder
gif_load public domain C/C++
1 (animated) GIF reader
miniexr public domain C++
2
OpenEXR writer, needs header file
tinyexr BSD
C/C++
1 EXR image read/write, uses miniz internally
lodepng zlib
C/C++
2
PNG encoder/decoder
*
NanoJPEG MIT
C/C++
1 JPEG decoder
nanoSVG zlib
C/C++
1 1-file SVG parser; 1-file SVG rasterizer
picopng.cpp zlib
C++
2
tiny PNG loader
jpeg-compressor public domain C++
2
2-file jpeg compress, 2-file jpeg decompress
easyexif MIT
C++
2
EXIF metadata extractor for JPEG images
TinyEXIF BSD
C++
2
Parse EXIF data from JPEG (XMP w/ TinyXML2 lib)
cro_mipmap.h public domain C/C++
1 average, min, max mipmap generators
PDFgen public domain C
2
PDF writer
library
license
API
files
description
ShaderFastLibs MIT
C++
1 (also HLSL) approximate transcendental functions optimized for shaders (esp. GCN)
TinyExpr zlib
C
2
evaluation of math expressions from strings
PoissonGenerator.h MIT
C++
1 Poisson disk points generator (disk or rect)
prns.h public domain C/C++
1 seekable pseudo-random number sequences
amoeba MIT
C/C++
1 constraint solver (Cassowary) w/Lua binding
simrank.hpp MIT
C++
2
SimRank graph similarity algorithm
rnd.h public domain C/C++
1 pseudo-random number generation
library
license
API
files
description
mm_sched.h zlib
C/C++
1 cross-platform multithreaded task scheduler based on enkiTS
oosmos GPLv2
C/C++
2
threadless concurrency
thread.h public domain C/C++
1 cross-platform thread primitives
library
license
API
files
description
zed_net public domain C/C++
1 cross-platform socket wrapper
sts_net public domain C/C++
1 cross-platform socket wrapper (socket sets and packet API)
znet MIT
C/C++
1 cross-platform networking w/ lua binding
mm_web.h BSD
C/C++
1 lightweight webserver, fork of webby
yocto public domain C/C++
2
non-production-use http server
mongoose GPLv2
C/C++
2
http server
EWS BSD
C/C++
1 http server
civetweb MIT
C/C++
2
http server, fork of mongoose
par_easycurl.h MIT
C/C++
1 curl wrapper
happyhttp zlib
C++
2
http client requests
http public domain C/C++
1 http get/post
LUrlParser MIT
C++
2
lightweight URL & URI parser RFC 1738, RFC 3986
library
license
API
files
description
archive public domain C++
1 binary serialize & deserlize w/ STL support
library
license
API
files
description
PicoJSON BSD
C++
1 JSON parse/serializer
json.h public domain C/C++
2
JSON parser
jzon.h MIT
C++
2
JSON parser
parson MIT
C/C++
2
JSON parser and serializer
json.hpp MIT
C++
1 JSON parse, serialize, deserialize
cJSON MIT
C/C++
1 JSON parser
ajson Boost
C++
1 JSON serialize & deserialize w/ STL support
library
license
API
files
description
SLRE GPLv2 C/C++
1 regular expression matcher
mm_lexer.h zlib
C/C++
1 C-esque language lexer
minilibs public domain C
2
two-file regex (also binary tree, etc)
tinymemfile zlib
C++
1 fscanf on in-memory files
inih BSD
C/C++
2
.ini file parser
ini.h public domain C/C++
1 .ini file parser
*
cmp MIT
C/C++
2
MessagePack parser and serializer
library
license
API
files
description
Remotery Apache 2.0
C/C++
2
CPU/GPU profiler Win/Mac/Linux, using web browser for viewer
MicroProfile public domain C++
2-4
CPU (and GPU?) profiler, 1-3 header files, uses miniz internally
prof MIT
C/C++
1 profiler for Linux
library
license
API
files
description
LIL zlib
C/C++
2
interpreter for a Tcl-like scripting language
lualite MIT
C++
1 generate lua bindings in C++
Picol BSD
C/C++
1 interpreter for a Tcl-like scripting language
s7 BSD
C/C++
2
interpreter for a subset of Scheme (R5RS/R7RS)
Duktape MIT
C
2
embeddable Javascript engine
MY-BASIC MIT
C
2
interpreter for a BASIC dialect scripting language
library
license
API
files
description
DG_misc.h public domain C/C++
1 Daniel Gibson's stb.h-esque cross-platform helpers: path/file, strings
utf8 public domain C/C++
1 utf8 string library
strpool.h public domain C/C++
1 string interning
dfa MIT
C/C++
2
fast utf8 decoder (need a header file)
gb_string.h public domain C/C++
1 dynamic strings
library
license
API
files
description
utest MIT
C/C++
1 unit testing
catch Boost
C++
1 unit testing
doctest MIT
C++
1 unit testing
SPUT BSD
C/C++
1 unit testing
minctest zlib
C
1 unit testing
greatest iSC
C
1 unit testing
µnit MIT
C
1 unit testing
labrat public domain C/C++
1 unit testing
hippomocks LGPL
C++
1 unit testing
fctx BSD
C/C++
1 unit testing
catch Boost
C++
1 unit testing
*
trompeloeil Boost
C++
1 unit testing
library
license
API
files
description
dear imgui MIT
C++
9
an immediate-mode GUI formerly named "ImGui"; 3rd-party C wrapper
nuklear public domain C/C++
1 minimal GUI toolkit
noc_file_dialog.h MIT
C/C++
1
file open/save dialogs (Linux/OSX/Windows)
tinyfiledialogs ZLIB
C/C++
2
modal dialogs inc. file open/save (Linux/OSX/Windows)
linenoise BSD
C/C++
2
terminal readline w/ history etc
wcwidth9 Apache 2.0
C
1
platform independent wcwidth with full unicode 9 support
library
license
API
files
description
mm_vec.h BSD
C/C++
1 SIMD vector math
Handmade Math public domain C/C++
1 vector math
gb_math public domain C/C++
1 Vector, quaternion and matrix math w/o math.h
ccVector.h public domain C/C++
1 Vector, quaternion and matrix math
linalg.h public domain C++
1 vector/matrix/quaternion math
linalg ISC
C/C++
1 vector/matrix/quaternion math
algebra3.h public domain C++
1 vector utilities for 2, 3, and 4 element vectors, all inline
library
license
API
files
description
jo_mpeg public domain C++
1 mpeg file writer
library
license
API
files
description
app.h public domain C/C++
1 Windows-only-but-meant-to-be-cross-platform game-ish framework
library
license
API
files
description
MakeID.h public domain C++
1 allocate/deallocate small integer IDs efficiently
tinyformat Boost
C++
1 typesafe printf
visit_struct Boost
C++
2
struct-field reflection
stmr MIT
C
2
extract English word stems
levenshtein MIT
C/C++
2
compute edit distance between two strings
tinytime zlib
C/C++
1 quick-and-dirty time elapsed time
cpp-generators BSD
C++
1 generators in C++
PlusCallback zlib
C++
1 function/method callbacks
There are also these XML libraries, but if you're using XML, shame on you:
Submissions of new libraries: I accept submissions (as issues or as pull requests). Please
note that every file that must be included in a user's project counts; a header and a source
file is 2 files, but a header file, source file, and LICENSE (if the license isn't in the
source file) is 3 files, and won't be accepted, because it's not 2 files. But actually
'LICENSE' is a problem for just dropping the library in a source tree anyway, since it's
not scoped to just the library, so library authors are encouraged to include the license in the
source file and not require a separate LICENSE.
Corrections: if information for a library above is wrong, please send a correction as an
issue, pull request, or email. Note that if the list indicates a library works from both
C/C++, but it doesn't, this could be an error in the list or it could be a bug in the
library. If you find a library doesn't work in 32-bit or 64-bit, the library should be
removed from this list, unless it's a bug in the library.
List FAQ Yes. This is the preferred link.
I draw the line arbitrarily at 2 files at most. (Note that some libraries that appear to
be two files require a separate LICENSE file, which made me leave them out). Some of these
libraries are still easy to drop into your project and build, so you might still be ok with them.
But since people come to stb for single-file public domain libraries, I feel that starts
to get too far from what we do here.
Probably because I don't know about it, feel free to submit a pull request, issue, email, or tweet it at
me (it can be your own library or somebody else's). But I might not include it for various
other reasons, including subtleties of what is 'minimal other dependencies' and subtleties
about what is 'lightweight'.
Come on.