dlib

# dlib C++ library  [![GitHub Actions C++ Status](https://github.com/davisking/dlib/actions/workflows/build_cpp.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/davisking/dlib/actions/workflows/build_cpp.yml) [![GitHub Actions Python Status](https://github.com/davisking/dlib/actions/workflows/build_python.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/davisking/dlib/actions/workflows/build_python.yml)

Dlib is a modern C++ toolkit containing machine learning algorithms and tools for creating complex software in C++ to solve real world problems. See [http://dlib.net](http://dlib.net) for the main project documentation and API reference.



## Compiling dlib C++ example programs

You need a C++17 compiler and CMake. Go into the examples folder and type:

```bash
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. ; cmake --build .
```

That will build all the examples.
If you have a CPU that supports AVX instructions then turn them on like this:

```bash
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DUSE_AVX_INSTRUCTIONS=1; cmake --build .
```

Doing so will make some things run faster.

Visual Studio users can explicitly select a 64bit target and compiler with a CMake invocation like this:
```bash
cmake .. -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -A x64 -T host=x64
```

## Compiling your own C++ programs that use dlib

The examples folder has a [CMake tutorial](https://github.com/davisking/dlib/blob/master/examples/CMakeLists.txt) that tells you what to do.  There are also additional instructions on the [dlib web site](http://dlib.net/compile.html).

Alternatively, if you are using the [vcpkg](https://github.com/Microsoft/vcpkg/) dependency manager you can download and install dlib with CMake integration in a single command:
```bash
vcpkg install dlib
```

## Compiling dlib Python API

Either fetch the latest stable release of dlib from PyPi and install that:
```bash
pip install dlib
```
Or fetch the very latest version from github and install that:
```bash
git clone https://github.com/davisking/dlib.git
cd dlib
pip install .
```

It's possible to change build settings by passing parameters to `setup.py` or `DLIB_*` environment variables.
For example, setting the environment variable `DLIB_NO_GUI_SUPPORT` to `ON` will add the cmake option
`-DDLIB_NO_GUI_SUPPORT=ON`.


## Running the unit test suite

Type the following to compile and run the dlib unit test suite:

```bash
cd dlib/test
mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
cmake --build . --config Release
./dtest --runall
```

Note that on windows your compiler might put the test executable in a subfolder called `Release`. If that's the case then you have to go to that folder before running the test.

This library is licensed under the Boost Software License, which can be found in [dlib/LICENSE.txt](https://github.com/davisking/dlib/blob/master/dlib/LICENSE.txt).  The long and short of the license is that you can use dlib however you like, even in closed source commercial software.

## dlib sponsors

This research is based in part upon work supported by the Office of the Directo