Announcing the Realm C++ Preview

Otso Virtanen, Lee Maguire, and Jason Flax

>> Announcement: Some features mentioned below will be deprecated on Sep. 30, 2025. Learn more.

Mobile edge computing, the ability to deploy compute and storage closer to the end user, has introduced a new cloud computing paradigm that requires many organizations to build distributed applications that are real-time, performant and highly engaging while working with data closer to the end user. MongoDB Atlas for the Edge offers capabilities to build, manage, and deploy distributed applications that securely use data at the edge with high availability, resilience, and reliability. As we continue on this journey towards advancing our Edge Client capabilities, we are excited to announce the release of the Realm C++ SDK.

The Realm C++ SDK provides developers in industries that employ connected devices (e.g. IIoT, automotive, healthcare, retail, energy) with a comprehensive solution. Developers who use the Atlas Device Sync Edge Server will have access to network handling and conflict resolution, an essential component of managing the intermittent connectivity that is common in these spaces. Real-time use cases are also enabled thanks to the ability to store and sync data with the cloud, all while leveraging the lightweight nature of C++. As an object-oriented database that does not require a separate mapping layer or ORM (object-relational mapper), Realm is a simpler, more intuitive alternative to SQLite. This is all part of MongoDB’s mission to be a data platform that provides developers with technologies that make the development process seamless.

A better way to declare object models

The Realm C++ SDK Preview release introduces an improved syntax for defining object models offering an experience that is similar to interfacing with POCOs. These improvements also allow for automatic schema discovery and support for Windows operating systems:

For the full list of what has been updated, check out the release notes.

Grabbing a coffee with Realm and Qt at the edge

During .local NYC ‘23, we demoed the process of connecting a smart coffee machine application using the Realm C++ SDK with the newly launched Price Preview release of the Atlas Device Sync Edge server. This builds on the work we have been doing with Qt and showcases the capabilities of our latest update. Check out our GitHub repository for the coffee machine application source code, and see below for a recording of the demo, as well as the architecture of the application’s functionality:


Next steps

As we continue to build on this release, we welcome and value all feedback. If you have any comments or suggestions, please share them via our GitHub project.

Ready to get started?

Head over to our Docs page for instructions on installing the C++ SDK, and register for Atlas so that you can connect to Device Sync.