DEV Community

Gaspard Kirira
Gaspard Kirira

Posted on

Vix.cpp v2.7.0 is out: a stronger foundation for native C++ applications

#cpp #news #softwaredevelopment #tooling

Vix.cpp v2.7.0 is out: a stronger foundation for native C++ applications

Vix.cpp v2.7.0 is out.

This release is an important foundation point for the project. Vix.cpp has been growing for more than a year, with the same goal from the beginning: make modern C++ application development more direct without taking away the native C++ model.

Vix.cpp is not a new language. It is not a replacement for CMake. It is not trying to hide the compiler or the native toolchain.

It is a runtime and developer toolkit around real C++ applications: create a project, run it, build it, test it, check it, install SDK profiles, manage dependencies, package the result, and prepare it for production.

What changed in v2.7.0

The v2.7.0 release brings together a lot of work across the CLI, SDK workflow, modules, diagnostics, release packaging, installer, and website direction.

The important part is not only that Vix.cpp has more pieces now. The important part is that those pieces are starting to hold together as one platform.

Vix.cpp now has a clearer split between:

  • the CLI bootstrap,
  • SDK profiles,
  • runtime modules,
  • registry workflow,
  • project commands,
  • diagnostics,
  • examples,
  • CI and tests,
  • release verification,
  • and real application validation.

The installer now focuses on installing the CLI first:

curl -fsSL https://vixcpp.com/install.sh | bash
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

On Windows:

irm https://vixcpp.com/install.ps1 | iex
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Then SDK profiles are installed through the CLI:

vix upgrade --sdk list
vix upgrade --sdk info web
vix upgrade --sdk web
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

This keeps the first installation smaller and makes the SDK layer explicit.

SDK profiles

One of the important directions in v2.7.0 is the SDK profile workflow.

Different C++ applications do not need the same runtime surface. A small CLI tool, a web backend, a data application, a P2P system, a game-oriented project, or an agent workflow have different requirements.

So Vix.cpp separates the CLI from the SDK layer.

For example:

vix upgrade --sdk web info
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

shows the modules and system dependencies for the web profile.

The web profile is meant for APIs, realtime applications, backend services, middleware, WebSocket, validation, crypto, WebRPC, and requests.

The data profile is focused on database, ORM, key-value storage, and cache workflows.

This makes Vix.cpp easier to install, easier to validate, and easier to reason about as the platform grows.

Vix CLI

The CLI remains the main entry point into the Vix.cpp workflow.

A C++ project can be created and started through one command surface:

vix new app
cd app
vix dev
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

A single C++ file can still be run directly:

vix run main.cpp
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

And the project workflow stays consistent:

vix build
vix run
vix tests
vix check
vix fmt
vix pack
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

The goal is not to turn C++ into a scripting language. The goal is to remove repeated workflow friction around C++ applications.

Vix Note

Vix Note is also part of the developer experience.

It gives C++ developers a visual space for executable notes, examples, experiments, and diagnostics while keeping the normal Vix workflow underneath.

Start it with:

vix note
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

This is useful for documenting ideas, testing examples, and working with project notes in a way that stays close to the actual C++ workflow.

Performance signal

For v2.7.0, I also ran a local HTTP benchmark on my laptop.

This was not a cloud server or a dedicated benchmark machine. It was an HP EliteBook running Linux on x86_64 with 8 CPU threads.

The benchmark command was:

wrk -t8 -c800 -d30s --latency http://127.0.0.1:8080/bench
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

The result:

3,386,276 requests in 30.09s
112,539.11 requests/sec
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

The latency distribution was also encouraging:

Avg: 7.31ms
p50: 6.51ms
p75: 7.59ms
p90: 8.73ms
p99: 12.19ms
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

The result I care about most here is not only the 112k req/s. At 800 concurrent connections, keeping p99 around 12.19ms is a good signal for the current HTTP runtime direction.

This is still an early local benchmark. More testing is needed across different endpoints, concurrency levels, machines, and realistic workloads. But for the v2.7.0 direction, it is a good sign.

Registry direction

Vix.cpp also has a registry workflow.

The registry is intentionally simple at this stage. It is based on a transparent package index instead of requiring an expensive backend cloud service before the ecosystem needs one.

That matters because Vix.cpp is maintained by Softadastra, and the project has to grow with discipline.

The goal is to make package discovery, installation, updates, local store management, and publishing part of the normal Vix workflow without making the infrastructure heavier than necessary.

Pico and real validation

Vix.cpp is not being validated only through isolated examples.

Pico is a real application built with Vix.cpp. It exists to keep the runtime honest by bringing the pieces together inside a working application: routing, middleware, persistence, diagnostics, runtime behavior, and the workflow around them.

This is important because a platform can look good in examples and still fail when real application concerns meet each other.

Pico helps test whether Vix.cpp holds together as real software.

What happens after v2.7.0

After v2.7.0, the direction is clear.

The focus is no longer to keep adding more modules and more surface area.

The next phase is about depth:

  • improve existing modules,
  • strengthen the registry workflow,
  • improve SDK installation,
  • expand tests,
  • improve CI coverage,
  • refine diagnostics,
  • improve documentation,
  • make releases cleaner,
  • and keep validating Vix.cpp through real applications.

This does not mean Vix.cpp is waiting to become stable later. Vix.cpp is already usable.

The next phase is about maturity.

New features can still happen, but they should earn their place. A feature belongs in Vix.cpp when it improves the existing workflow, strengthens an existing module, or solves a practical problem for real C++ applications.

Install Vix.cpp

Linux and macOS:

curl -fsSL https://vixcpp.com/install.sh | bash
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Windows PowerShell:

irm https://vixcpp.com/install.ps1 | iex
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Then:

vix upgrade --sdk list
vix upgrade --sdk info web
vix upgrade --sdk web
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Links

Website: https://vixcpp.com
Documentation: https://docs.vixcpp.com
Registry: https://registry.vixcpp.com
Engineering notes: https://blog.vixcpp.com
GitHub: https://github.com/vixcpp/vix

Vix.cpp v2.7.0 is a foundation release.

The goal remains simple: make C++ development feel more direct, more modern, and more reliable without hiding the power of the language.

Top comments (0)