Boost asio io_service vs io_context

Question

I am using boost asio library with c++. I found that io_service and io_context have similarities. for example both have method run and others. Could someone please detail differences between these two classes( like usage, conceptual idea, structural difference et.c)

Ito

Answer 1

You should use io_context, it replaces io_service.

According to boost issue #110:

io_service is deprecated. Yes, you should use io_context. Beware that the "old" API is deprecated as well (e.g. io_service.post(), you should use post(io_context, handler)).

. . .

io_service -> io_context
io_service.post() -> io_context.get_executor().post()
io_service.dispatch() -> io_context.get_executor().dispatch()

io_service::strand -> strand<io_context::executor_type>

there were also changes to composed operation customization hooks - there are only 2 now - boost::asio::associated_allocator and boost::asio::associated_executor, which default to looking for get_allocator(), get_executor(), T::allocator_type, T::executor_type members of the composed operation function object.

This is not a complete list.

These changes are related to Networking TS compatibility.

Seems to have been added in Boost 1.66.

Araroba

Some documentation seems to be out of date as in the examples of 1.71 they are still using io_service: boost.org/doc/libs/1_71_0/doc/html/boost_process/tutorial.html – Colmar