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yhirose/cpp-httplib

A C++11 single-header library for building HTTP/HTTPS servers and clients with blocking socket I/O.

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What is it?

cpp-httplib is a cross-platform C++11 library that provides both an HTTP/HTTPS server and client. It ships as a single header file, httplib.h, so adding it to a project only requires including that file. It uses blocking socket I/O and supports HTTP/1.1 only; HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 are not implemented.

The library covers routing with path parameters and regular expressions, static file serving with MIME mapping, multipart form and file uploads, chunked transfer and streaming content providers, keep-alive connections, and middleware-style hooks such as pre-routing, post-routing and exception handlers. Server-Sent Events and WebSocket are documented as additional features.

TLS is available through OpenSSL (3.0 or later), Mbed TLS, or wolfSSL, selected with a compile-time define. It also includes certificate verification controls, mutual TLS, and on macOS and Windows integration with the system certificate store.

Key features

  • 01Single-header include with no build dependencies for basic HTTP use
  • 02HTTP server and client in one library
  • 03HTTPS via OpenSSL, Mbed TLS, or wolfSSL
  • 04Routing with path parameters and regular expressions
  • 05Static file serving, multipart uploads, and chunked or streamed responses
  • 06Mutual TLS and certificate verification controls

Use cases

  • Adding a lightweight embedded HTTP endpoint to a C++ application without pulling in a large framework
  • Writing a C++ client that calls REST APIs over HTTPS
  • Serving static files or simple web APIs from a C++ tool
  • Prototyping a local HTTP service in a C++ project with minimal setup

Quick start

  1. 1

    Download the httplib.h file from the repository

  2. 2

    Include httplib.h in your C++ code and build a server or client as shown in the examples

Things to know

  • Uses blocking socket I/O, so it is not suitable for non-blocking designs.
  • Supports only HTTP/1.1; HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 are not implemented.
  • 32-bit platforms are not supported and receive no security review.

Topics

#http#https#cpp#header-only#web-server#http-client#tls#cpp11

FAQ

What is cpp-httplib?
A C++11 single-header library for building HTTP/HTTPS servers and clients with blocking socket I/O. cpp-httplib is a cross-platform C++11 library that provides both an HTTP/HTTPS server and client. It ships as a single header file, httplib.h, so adding it to a project only requires including that file. It uses blocking socket I/O and supports HTTP/1.1 only; HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 are not implemented.
Is cpp-httplib free to use? What license does it have?
cpp-httplib is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is cpp-httplib still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to cpp-httplib was on Oct 22, 2026.
What can I use cpp-httplib for?
Adding a lightweight embedded HTTP endpoint to a C++ application without pulling in a large framework Writing a C++ client that calls REST APIs over HTTPS Serving static files or simple web APIs from a C++ tool Prototyping a local HTTP service in a C++ project with minimal setup
How do I install cpp-httplib?
Download the httplib.h file from the repository Include httplib.h in your C++ code and build a server or client as shown in the examples
Where can I get cpp-httplib?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/yhirose/cpp-httplib

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