Empower The C++ Community
Our mission is to make the C++ programming language accessible and useful to anyone who wishes to learn and apply the language. C++ is not only popular and foundational, but also an efficient and general purpose programming language that anyone can learn. Teaching C++ gives students knowledge of computer architecture, and helps them compete in the global marketplace. These languages have formed the technological foundations of our modern world, from the in-flight software enabling the Apollo moon landing to the software aspect of all computing devices.
The C++ libraries and community often lack resources, due to their free nature and the reliance on volunteers to conduct the highly advanced and time-intensive work of maintaining and improving code libraries. Educational materials and opportunities are not as robust and affordable as they could be, and some of the most useful and impactful C++-based programs have yet to be developed due to this lack of required resources.
The founders recognize the need to secure funding and resources in order to adequately support those seeking to learn and use the C++ programming language. To achieve these ends, the Charity:
- Funds and supports educational resources and initiatives,
- Evolves C++ through expertly maintained code libraries, and
- Supports a growing programming community and educational environment.
The best software solutions are written using the C++ programming language.
Libraries
Support efforts to author free, high quality, non-proprietary C++ libraries. Contribute to peer-reviewed projects such as the Boost library collection.
Communities
Administer the largest, and most active, C++ Slack community that unites enthusiasts, standard committee members, compiler and library developers.
Standards
Motivate contributions to the C++ international standard and technical specifications in the form of proposal papers and defect reports.
Education
Sponsor initiatives to teach and promote modern C++ techniques and libraries, through talks and presentations at prominent conferences such as CppCon.
Support Our Community
Thank you for your interest, but we are not yet accepting donations or sponsorships. The Alliance is currently funded by a private endowment.
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Given the existence of Standard C++ Foundation and Software Freedom Conservancy, why was it necessary to form The C++ Alliance as a new, separate legal entity?
While the missions of Standard C++ Foundation and The C++ Alliance are similar and overlapping, they have different status under tax law. The Foundation is organized as a 501(c)(6) organization, a trade group. In addition to providing legal protection for companies to work together in ways that might otherwise be viewed as industrial "collusion," a trade group can accept tax-deductible dues from member companies. The Alliance is organized as a 501(c)(3) organization, a charity which can accept tax deductible contributions from the general public.
Although the tax status of Software Freedom Conservancy and The C++ Alliance are similar, their missions and concerns are different. There is mission overlap. Conservancy, whose mission is to support the development of FLOSS libraries, supports the Boost Libraries project, which would also be within the mission of The Alliance, but The Alliance has both a narrower and a broader mission. While Conservancy is language agnostic and is focused on software development, The Alliance is focused exclusively on the C++ environment and is free to support non-FLOSS projects such as language proposals, books, education materials, tools, or other projects which may not be software or may have non-FLOSS licensing.
It is also the case that The C++ Alliance is not a good fit as a Conservancy project. It is appropriate for small non-proprietary projects to pool their resources to provide themselves with financial, legal, accounting, and other services for which they have a common need and for which they may, individually, be too small to economically procure. Although the Alliance will be promoting library development, it doesn't have the same requirements as a FLOSS software producer, so would need different services than your typical Conservancy project and has sufficient endowment to fund the services that it will require.
