CircularBuffer - A Generic Thread-Safe Circular Buffer in C++

Overview

This is a thread-safe, templated circular buffer implemented in C++ that supports any data type. It efficiently manages data in a fixed-size buffer, allowing seamless writing and reading operations without reallocations.

Key Features

• ✅ Generic Support: Works with int, float, std::string, or any user-defined type.
• ✅ Thread-Safe: Uses std::mutex to ensure concurrent access safety.
• ✅ Efficient Memory Usage: Uses std::vector<T> internally to manage data efficiently.
• ✅ Automatic Wrap-Around: Handles buffer overflow naturally without extra copying.

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Installation

Simply clone this repository and include the CircularBuffer.h file in your project.

git clone https://github.com/hosein-srj/circular-buffer.git

Include the header file in your C++ project:

#include "CircularBuffer.h"

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Usage

1. Creating a Circular Buffer

Instantiate a buffer of any data type:

#include "CircularBuffer.h"

int main() {
    CircularBuffer<int16_t> buffer(100);  // Buffer for int16_t with size 100
    return 0;
}

2. Writing Data

int16_t data[] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5};
buffer.write(data, 5);

3. Reading Data

auto result = buffer.read(3);
for (auto val : result) {
    std::cout << val << " ";
}

📌 Output: 1 2 3

4. Checking Buffer State

if (buffer.isFull(10)) {
    std::cout << "Buffer is full!";
}

if (buffer.hasEnoughData(5)) {
    std::cout << "Enough data available!";
}

5. Resetting the Buffer

buffer.reset();  // Clears all stored data

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Thread-Safety

• All functions use std::mutex (std::lock_guard) to prevent race conditions.
• Safe to use in multithreaded environments.
• Locks are applied only where necessary, minimizing performance overhead.

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Performance Considerations

• std::copy instead of memcpy for type safety and generality.
• No dynamic allocations during operations, except when resizing in setUp().
• Optimized wrap-around handling using modular arithmetic.
• Avoids expensive copies, using std::vector<T> efficiently.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. Feel free to use and modify.

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Contributing

If you’d like to contribute:

1. Fork the repo 🍴
2. Create a new branch: git checkout -b feature-name
3. Commit your changes: git commit -m "Add feature X"
4. Push to your branch: git push origin feature-name
5. Open a Pull Request 🚀

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Author

Developed by [Hosein Seraj]
📧 Email: [hosein.seraj11@gmail.com]
🔗 GitHub: https://github.com/hosein-srj

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What This README Covers:

✔️ Project Overview
✔️ Installation Guide
✔️ Code Usage with Examples
✔️ Thread-Safety Explanation
✔️ Performance Considerations
✔️ License & Contribution Guide