In this guide we create and deploy a C++-based HTTP web server using the Boost libraries.
To run this example, follow these steps:
-
Install the kraft
CLI tool and a container runtime engine, e.g. Docker.
-
Clone the example repository and cd
into the examples/http-cpp-boost/
directory:
Make sure to log into Unikraft Cloud by setting your token and a metro close to you.
We use fra0
(Frankfurt, 🇩🇪) in this guide:
When done, invoke the following command to deploy this application on Unikraft Cloud:
The output shows the instance URL and other details:
In this case, the instance name is http-cpp-boost-rae7s
and the URL is https://red-snow-3bn7bzc8.fra0.kraft.host
.
They are different for each run.
Use curl
to query the Unikraft Cloud instance of the C++ Boost HTTP web server:
At any point in time, you can list information about the instance:
When done, you can remove the instance:
Customize your Application
To customize the application, update the files in the repository, listed below:
http_server.cpp
: the C++ HTTP server
Kraftfile
: the Unikraft Cloud specification
Dockerfile
: the Docker-specified application filesystem
Lines in the Kraftfile
have the following roles:
-
spec: v0.6
: The current Kraftfile
specification version is 0.6
.
-
runtime: base
: The Unikraft runtime kernel to use is its base one.
-
rootfs: ./Dockerfile
: Build the application root filesystem using the Dockerfile
.
-
cmd: ["/http_server"]
: Use /http_server
as the starting command of the instance.
Lines in the Dockerfile
have the following roles:
COPY ./http_server.cpp /src/http_server.cpp
: Copy the server implementation file (http_server.cpp
) in the Docker filesystem (in /src/http_server.cpp
).
The following options are available for customizing the application:
-
If only updating the implementation in the http_server.cpp
source file, no other change is required.
-
If new files are added, these have to be copied in the application filesystem, using the COPY
command in the Dockerfile
.
-
If a new C++ source files is added, update the cmd
line in the Kraftfile
and replace http_server.cpp
to run that file when creating the instance.
-
More extensive changes may require expanding the Dockerfile
with additional Dockerfile
commands.
Learn More
Use the --help
option for detailed information on using Unikraft Cloud:
Or visit the CLI Reference.