Introduction to dlib C++ Library
dlib is a sophisticated and versatile C++ library designed to provide a comprehensive toolkit of machine learning algorithms. It's perfect for developers aiming to create complex C++ software solutions to address real-world problems. For more detailed documentation and API references, users can visit the dlib project's main website.
Compiling dlib C++ Example Programs
For those looking to explore the power of dlib through example programs, the process is straightforward. Navigate to the examples folder and execute the following commands in your terminal:
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. ; cmake --build .
This sequence will compile all the example programs. For users with a CPU that supports AVX instructions, enabling these instructions is simple and can lead to more efficient performance:
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DUSE_AVX_INSTRUCTIONS=1; cmake --build .
For Visual Studio users, it's advisable to operate in 64-bit mode since the default output is 32-bit. This can be set using:
cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 14 2015 Win64" -T host=x64
Compiling Your Own C++ Programs with dlib
dlib's examples folder provides a CMake tutorial to get developers started with their own dlib-integrated C++ programs. Additional guidance is available on the dlib website. Furthermore, for those using the vcpkg dependency manager, dlib can be downloaded and installed with CMake integration using a single command:
vcpkg install dlib
Compiling dlib Python API
To utilize dlib with Python, developers must first prepare the build environment by executing:
python -m venv venv
pip install build
Once the build requirements are ready, dlib must be compiled and installed in the user's Python environment:
python -m build --wheel
pip install dist/dlib-<version>.whl
Alternatively, dlib can be easily installed using PyPi:
pip install dlib
Running the Unit Test Suite
For ensuring that dlib is set up correctly and functioning as intended, developers can compile and run the unit test suite with the following commands:
cd dlib/test
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
cmake --build . --config Release
./dtest --runall
Windows users might need to check the Release subfolder for the test executable, depending on their compiler's settings.
Licensing and Sponsorship
dlib is distributed under the Boost Software License, allowing developers to use it freely, including in commercial software. Additionally, part of the research that dlib is based on was supported by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA).
dlib's rich set of tools and the flexibility of its license make it a strong choice for developers working on complex machine learning projects in C++.