# Intel's C++ Asynchronous I/O Extensions for Windows* Operating Systems

This topic only applies to Windows* OS.

Intel's C/C++ asynchronous input/output (Intel's C/C++ AIO) extensions, like library functions or classes, can be used to improve the performance of C/C++ applications by executing I/O operations in asynchronous mode. The extensions initiate I/O operation and immediately resume normal tasks while the I/O operations are executed in parallel.

Intel's C/C++ asynchronous I/O extensions are supported on IA-32 architecture-based (C++ only; does not pertain to DPC++) and Intel® 64 architecture-based Windows platforms.

Intel's C/C++ AIO library functions and template class are implemented in the libicaio.lib library. This library is supplied as part of the Intel® C++ Compiler Classic package and is installed into the common directory: <install-dir>/lib.

## Types of Intel's C/C++ Asynchronous I/O Extensions

Intel's C/C++ asynchronous I/O extensions comprise the following:

- Asynchronous I/O Library: A set of POSIX*-based asynchronous I/O library functions, supported on Windows operating systems, for applications written in C/C++ language. The interface file is aio.h.
- Asynchronous I/O Template Class: An `asych_class` template class, supported on Windows* operating systems, for applications written in C++ language. This template class can be used to introduce asynchronous execution of I/O operations with the Standard Template Library's (STL's) streams classes. The interface file is aiostream.h.

Parent topic: Libraries

- Intel's C++ Asynchronous I/O Library for Windows* Operating Systems
- Intel's C++ Asynchronous I/O Class for Windows* Operating Systems

## See Also

Intel's C++ Asynchronous I/O Library for Windows* OS
Intel's C++ Asynchronous I/O Class for Windows* OS