Vereign C++ Client Library

Overview

Vereign C++ Client Library allows for digitally signing emails and documents, data encryption, and key-based authentication.

FIXME: Add more info about the software architecture.

Build

The project uses git submodules for the gRPC protobuf definitions.

So after cloning run git submodule update --init.

The protobuf definitions and the generated C++ gRPC client/server are located in https://code.vereign.com/code/vcl-proto project and are added as submodule at proto subdir.

Windows

You need Visual Studio 2019 or alternatively install just the build tools and c++ compiler - go to https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/ then scroll and open Tools for Visual Studio 2019 and download/install Visual Studio Build Tools 2019. The 2019 build tools include cmake, and currently it is 3.16.19112601-MSVC_2. They also include Ninja build tool.

NOTE: Currently only builds with Ninja are tested under Windows

Build the third party dependencies

Go to the vcl/cpp directory.

First configure the cmake build. Open x64 Native Tools Command Prompt it is preconfigured with all the needed tools including cmake and ninja.

> mkdir cmake-build-vendor-debug
> cd cmake-build-vendor-debug
> cmake -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug ../vendor

Next build the dependencies. Note that this will take a while, and that it could be slowed a lot by the windows defender. You can configure the windows defender to the project directory.

> ninja

Build the vereign library

Go to the vcl/cpp directory.

> mkdir cmake-build-debug
> cd cmake-build-debug
> cmake -G Ninja -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug ..
> ninja vereign -v

The vereign.dll will be created inside cmake-build-debug\bin\Debug directory.

C API Usage

For C/C++ users, the library has a single header file located in include\vereign directory.

The service is started with vereign_service_start. This will start a gRPC server in its own thread(s). The call returns immediately.

After the service is started you can use your favorite language generated gRPC client to communicate with the service.

Use the vereign_service_selected_port function to get the listen port of the gRPC server.

When you are finished with the service, for example upon shutdown of the application, one must use the vereign_service_shutdown API. It will shutdown the service and free any acquired resources. Afterwards the returned vereign_service pointer from the start call is invalid and must not be used anymore.

For more detailed info check the source code documentation in the header include/vereign/vereign.h. You can also look at C++ usage example in the C API integration test tests/integration/integration_test.cc.

The gRPC APIs are located here https://code.vereign.com/code/vcl-proto/-/tree/master/proto%2Fvereign%2Fclient_library.

FIXME: Add sample integration - for example for C#.

TODO: Add more documentation/reference; instructions to generate doxygen reference.