Last updated: May 30, 2026

Getting Started

This page gives an example procedure for installing the kv library and running sample programs.

If you already understand that kv is header-only, requires C++ and Boost, and may require MPFR depending on what you use, you probably do not need to read the rest of this page.

1. Installing the kv Library

After extracting the archive kv-0.x.xx.tar.gz, you will see:

LICENSE.txt  README.txt  example  kv  test

The actual library is the kv directory. Copy it to an appropriate location. On Unix-like systems, a typical location is /usr/local/include. Since the library is small, it is also fine to keep it together with your working directory. If you install it somewhere other than a location that the compiler searches automatically, such as /usr/include or /usr/local/include, specify the installation location at compile time with an option such as:

-I.
-I/home/username/include

2. Installing Dependencies

To use the kv library, you need a C++ compiler and The Boost C++ Libraries. If you use interval arithmetic with MPFR endpoints, you also need The GNU MPFR Library. Typical installation methods are shown below. If MPFR is also required, run the commands in parentheses as well.

2.1 Linux

For Debian-based distributions such as Ubuntu:

sudo apt install build-essential
sudo apt install libboost-all-dev
(sudo apt install libmpfr-dev)

For Red Hat-based distributions such as Fedora:

sudo dnf install gcc-c++
sudo dnf install boost-devel
(sudo dnf install mpfr-devel)

2.2 macOS

(This assumes that you use Homebrew.)

Install the Xcode Command Line Tools
```
xcode-select --install
```

Install Homebrew

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
echo 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"' >> ~/.zprofile
eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)"

Install the libraries

brew install gcc
brew install boost
(brew install mpfr)

2.3 Windows + Visual C++

(If you use WSL, follow the Linux installation instructions. Using WSL is recommended.)

Install Build Tools for Visual Studio 2026
Download Tools for Visual Studio → Build Tools for Visual Studio 2026 from https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/ and install it with the "Desktop development with C++" workload selected.
Open Start → Visual Studio 2026 → x64 Native Tools Command Prompt for VS.
Create an appropriate working directory, move into it, and run:
```
vcpkg new --application
vcpkg add port boost
(vcpkg add port mpfr)
vcpkg install
```
The libraries will be installed in vcpkg_installed. This takes a long time.

3. Running Sample Programs

Assume that you are in the test directory immediately after extracting the archive. In other words, kv is located in "..". If it is in another location, replace the path as appropriate.

3.1 Linux

c++ -O3 -DNDEBUG -I.. test-interval.cc

For programs that use MPFR:

c++ -O3 -DNDEBUG -I.. test-impfr.cc -lmpfr

3.2 macOS

(Replace g++15 with the version that is actually installed.)

g++-15 -O3 -DNDEBUG -I.. test-interval.cc

For programs that use MPFR:

g++-15 -O3 -DNDEBUG -I.. test-impfr.cc -lmpfr

3.3 Windows + Visual C++

(This assumes that vcpkg_installed is visible in the same location as kv and test. If it is elsewhere, replace the path as appropriate.)

cl /EHsc /O2 /I.. /I../vcpkg_installed/x64-windows/include test-interval.cc

For programs that use MPFR, the DLL directory must be added to PATH first:

set PATH=%PATH%;../vcpkg_installed/x64-windows/bin

Then run:

cl /EHsc /O2 /I.. /I../vcpkg_installed/x64-windows/include test-impfr.cc /link /LIBPATH:../vcpkg_installed/x64-windows/lib mpfr.lib