Fat API bindings of C++ objects into scripting languages

Abstract

A fat API exposes nearly all of a C++ object's public attributes and methods to a consuming environment, such as a scripting language, or web client. This can be contrasted with a conventional, or thin API, where the API is defined up front, and the C++ object provides the implementation, most of which is private to the C++ layer. Obviously, reflection is required to expose C++ objects to a consuming layer like this -- this paper explores using the Classdesc system to implement reflection of C++ objects into a JavaScript/TypeScript environment via a RESTservice, and also via a Node.js API module.