Installation

Get PVAC-HFHE set up in your C++17 project

Prerequisites

Before installing PVAC-HFHE, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:

1. C++17 compiler

   You need a compiler that supports C++17 or later:

   • GCC: Version 9 or higher
   • Clang: Version 10 or higher
   • MSVC: Visual Studio 2019 or higher

   GCC

   g++ --version
   # Should show gcc version 9.0.0 or higher
   
2. x86-64 processor (recommended)

   For optimal performance, use a processor with PCLMUL support. Most modern Intel and AMD processors include this instruction set.

   Check PCLMUL support on Linux:

   grep -o 'pclmulqdq' /proc/cpuinfo | head -n 1
   

   PVAC-HFHE will work without PCLMUL, but cryptographic operations will be slower.

Clone the repository

PVAC-HFHE is a header-only library, so installation is straightforward:

git clone https://github.com/octra-labs/pvac_hfhe_cpp.git
cd pvac_hfhe_cpp

Project structure

After cloning, your directory should look like this:

pvac_hfhe_cpp/
├── include/
│   └── pvac/
│       ├── pvac.hpp          # Main header file
│       ├── core/             # Core cryptographic primitives
│       ├── crypto/           # Key generation and LPN
│       ├── ops/              # Encryption/decryption operations
│       └── utils/            # Utilities for text and metrics
├── examples/                 # Example applications
├── tests/                    # Test suite
└── Makefile                  # Build configuration

Include in your project

PVAC-HFHE is header-only, so you just need to add the include path:

Your code

#include <pvac/pvac.hpp>

using namespace pvac;

int main() {
    // Your PVAC-HFHE code here
    return 0;
}

Always use -march=native flag to enable CPU-specific optimizations, including PCLMUL instructions if available.

Compiler flags explained

Flag	Purpose
-std=c++17	Enable C++17 standard support (required)
-O2	Enable optimization level 2 for better performance
-march=native	Use CPU-specific instructions (PCLMUL, AVX, etc.)
-I./include	Add the include directory to the compiler search path

For production builds, consider using -O3 for maximum optimization, though it may increase compilation time.

Verify installation

Test your installation by building and running the examples:

1. Build examples

   make examples
   

   This compiles all example programs in the examples/ directory.

2. Run basic usage example

   ./build/examples/basic_usage
   

   You should see output showing successful encryption, homomorphic operations, and decryption:

   pvac_hfhe 0.1.0
   
    - 1. keygen - 
      H = 0x...
      m = 8192, n = 4096, B = 16
   
    - 2. enc / dec - 
      ok: dec(42) = 42
      ok: dec(17) = 17
   
3. Run test suite (optional)

   Verify everything works correctly by running the full test suite:

   make test
   

   This runs 42 comprehensive tests covering all library functionality.

Integration methods

Method 1: Direct include path

Add the PVAC-HFHE include directory to your compiler flags:

g++ -std=c++17 -O2 -march=native -I/path/to/pvac_hfhe_cpp/include main.cpp -o app

Method 2: Copy headers to system path

Copy headers to your system include directory:

sudo cp -r include/pvac /usr/local/include/

Then compile without the -I flag:

g++ -std=c++17 -O2 -march=native main.cpp -o app

Method 3: CMake integration

For CMake projects, add the include directory:

CMakeLists.txt

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.12)
project(MyProject)

set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)

# Add PVAC-HFHE include directory
include_directories(/path/to/pvac_hfhe_cpp/include)

# Enable optimizations
set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} -O2 -march=native")

add_executable(my_app main.cpp)

Troubleshooting

Compiler error: 'std::optional' not found

This indicates your compiler doesn’t fully support C++17. Update to:

• GCC 9 or higher
• Clang 10 or higher
• MSVC 2019 or higher

Undefined reference errors during linking

PVAC-HFHE is header-only and doesn’t require linking. Ensure you’re including pvac/pvac.hpp in your source files.

Slow performance

Ensure you’re compiling with optimization flags:

• Add -O2 or -O3 for optimization
• Add -march=native to enable CPU-specific instructions
• Check that your CPU supports PCLMUL instructions

Cannot find pvac/pvac.hpp

Verify the include path is correct:

# Check the include directory exists
ls /path/to/pvac_hfhe_cpp/include/pvac/pvac.hpp

# Add -I flag pointing to the include directory
g++ -I/path/to/pvac_hfhe_cpp/include ...

Next steps

Quickstart guide

Build your first homomorphic encryption application.

Basic operations

Learn the fundamental operations for working with encrypted data.