## repository: https://code.ros.org/svn/ros
<<PackageHeader(roslib)>>

== Overview ==
`roslib` is the base dependency of all ROS [[Client Libraries]] and tools. It contains common tools like the generators for [[Messages]] and [[Services]] as well as common message definitions like `Header` and `Log`. It also contains the common path-bootstrapping code for ROS Python nodes and tools.

== roslib for C++ Developers ==

roslib contains the definition of the `ros::Time` and `ros::Duration` objects used in [[roscpp]] and other ROS C++ libraries. It also contains functions for querying the ROS package system. Please see the [[http://ros.org/doc/api/roslib/html/|Code API]] and the [[roscpp/Overview/Time|roscpp Time overview]] for more details.

== roslib for Python Developers ==
If you are a Python developer, you might be confused that there are both the [[roslib]] and [[rospy]] packages that support Python development in ROS. In fact, some of the functionality they provide is very similar. 

There is only one line of `roslib` you need to know, which exists for bootstrapping reasons:{{{
import roslib; roslib.load_manifest('YOUR_PACKAGE_NAME')
}}}

Otherwise, the simple answer is '''use [[rospy]]'''. Unless you're more familiar with ROS Python development, `rospy` should provide you with all the APIs you need to run a node, call services, access the Parameter Server, etc... roslib is primarily an internal library used by ROS core developers to write tools.

== Developer tools for client library authors ==

`roslib` contains command-line tools for message generation necessary for ROS [[Client Libraries|client library]] authors. These tools are [[roslib/gentools|documented here]].

== Roadmap ==

Currently no new features are planned for `roslib`. But as new, common functionality is added to the ROS platform, it will likely be supported by libraries here.

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