Replacing ctpp2 by ctemplate HTML template engine about libkiwix

[kelson42]

@mgautierfr feedback?

[kelson42]

I do not see any pc file. See OlafvdSpek/ctemplate#15 (comment)

[mgautierfr]

Possible replacement for ctpp2 could be :

• https://github.com/kainjow/Mustache a mustache template engine (header only), no dependency, C++11, boost license
• https://github.com/ipkn/crow a small microframework for web. It could replace cttp2 for templating (crow::mustache) and microhttpd. boost dependency, header only, C++11, BSD3 license.

[kelson42]

@mgautierfr How much would you value the boost dependency? and the price of adding it?

[mgautierfr]

I think that boost could be a real win globally.
It is pretty easy to install (most of boost library are header only and it is the closest things we have from a standard).

There is a number of libraries that could be use in kiwix or libzim projects :

• boost.filesystem to have os independent file manipulation.
• boost.locale to handle localisation.
• boost.process (header only) and boost.thread to create subprocess and threads os independently (for aria2, zimwriterfs, ...)
• boost.uuid to generate uuid. (header only)
• boost.asio to do io (header only)
• boost.beast to do http request (and server) (pretty low level API) (header only)
• boost.log to do some logging.
• boost.test for unit testing. (header only)
• boost.endian to handle endianess. (header only)
• boost.programOptions to read options from command line or configuration file.

Of course we do not have to move to all those libraries in the same time (nor at all). We must evaluate pros and cons of each libraries and change if it is usefull.
But, all those libraries would potentially remove ctpp2, libmicrohttpd, curl, googletest; remove a lot of code in kiwix-lib and libzim about threading, filesystem operation, uuid, endian ... allow us to add the logging and localization features.

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To come back on the subject, I think we can move to a templating using mustache (kainjow/Mustache).
It adds no dependency and if we decide to move crow after, the templating system is the same.

There is also this template system https://github.com/no1msd/mstch but it needs boost.

[kelson42]

@kelson42 Without having studied in details like you, my overall feeling is that boost is worth it now for the kiwix-lib. Regarding the templating system, I trust you to find something performant, maintained & well used, portable and relatively simple (also the txt template "language").

That said I'm pretty much against moving out from libmicrohttpd with an all-in-one solution because:

• I'm in general against all-in-one approach
• It is a lot of work to remove libmicrohhtpd, without clear added value for the users
• We have currently other priorities
• I was already thinking adopting https://github.com/nghttp2 (from Aria2 Tatsuhiro) later next year.