Question 1

How do I set up C++ Reflection with my existing CMake project?

Accepted Answer

You need to build the parser and runtime separately, then link them. Set environment variables for LLVM_ROOT and BOOST_ROOT, or pass them via CMake flags -DLLVM_ROOT and -DBOOST_ROOT, as shown in the README's build steps for examples.

Question 2

C++ Reflection vs RTTR – which is better for game development?

Accepted Answer

C++ Reflection uses libClang for parsing without requiring manual registration, while RTTR is header-only but needs explicit type registration. Choose C++ Reflection if you prefer automatic extraction from source code; RTTR if you want lighter setup without external dependencies like LLVM.

Question 3

Does this library support reflection on C++ templates or private members?

Accepted Answer

Since it uses libClang, it can parse templates, but the runtime support may be limited. Private members might require additional configuration or modifications to the parser to access, as hinted in the blog posts about development decisions.

Question 4

What's the performance overhead of using the runtime reflection?

Accepted Answer

The runtime library adds some overhead for type queries and metadata access, but it's designed to be lightweight. For performance-critical paths, you might need to cache reflection data or use it sparingly, as seen in the example applications.

Question 5

How can I extend the reflection system for custom types not in my source code?

Accepted Answer

The system primarily works by parsing C++ source files. To add custom types, you may need to modify the parser or manually inject metadata, which isn't well-documented; check the examples for basic extension patterns or consult the blog for insights.

Question 6

Is there support for serialization using this reflection library?

Accepted Answer

Yes, the examples include serialization demos. You can use the runtime APIs to iterate over properties and serialize them to formats like JSON or binary, but you'll need to implement the actual serialization logic yourself, as demonstrated in the provided code.

CPP-Reflection

What is CPP-Reflection?

Overview

Use Cases

Best For

Related Projects

Found a gem we're missing?

Not Ideal For

Pros & Cons

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions