Web Development in C++: From Basics to Deployment

Why C++ for the web? This is not a joke. When speed matters and every millisecond counts, C++ becomes the ideal choice for the backend. This book is the first practical guide to building web applications in C++, taking you from the first line of code to a production release.

What is the book about?
The book starts with the basics: you will build a simple HTTP server on sockets to understand the mechanics of the web. Then you will move on to modern frameworks — Crow and Boost.Beast. You will learn to handle JSON, work with WebSocket, connect databases (PostgreSQL via libpqxx), and write REST APIs for real projects.

Who is this book for?

• Backend developers who want to squeeze out maximum performance
• C++ programmers looking to master the web stack
• System engineers building microservices and APIs
• Anyone tired of "heavy" interpreted languages in high-load systems

What will you learn?

• How HTTP/1.1 and HTTP/2 work at the C++ level
• Routing, middleware, authentication (JWT, OAuth2)
• Working with WebSocket for real-time chats and notifications
• Connecting PostgreSQL, Redis, and caching
• Project building with CMake, testing (Google Test), and profiling
• Deployment: Docker, Nginx reverse proxy, CI/CD, and monitoring

Why should you read it?
C++ is returning to web development — for financial systems, game servers, IoT, and CDNs. This book saves months of experimentation. You will not just read theory but create a full-fledged project — a task management system (Trello-like) with an API, authorization, and web sockets.

Technical details:

• C++17/20 standards (no legacy code)
• Compilers: GCC, Clang, MSVC
• Platforms: Linux (Ubuntu, Debian), macOS, Windows (WSL)
• Tools: CMake, vcpkg, Docker, Postman

The book is suitable for both experienced C++ developers and engineers from other languages (Go, Rust, Python) who want to understand how to write fast web services in C++. Code examples are available for download and have been tested on real servers.

Web development in C++ is not an exotic choice but a rational one for tasks where speed and memory control matter. Start your journey into the world of high-performance web development right now.