login.cpp

void login(httplib::Client& client) {
  std::string user, pass;

  std::cout << "user: ";
  std::getline(std::cin, user);

  std::cout << "pass: ";
  char input[256];
  
  // We're going to overflow/overwrite the cout buffer via this string stream contents
  std::stringstream ss(input);

  char c = 0;
  size_t idx = 0;
  do {
    c = _getch(); // this is cross paltform and POSIX standard
    if (idx > 0 && (int)c == 8) {
      // code 8 is backspace, so let's overwrite our cursor pos
      // and then fill the previous line with a space
      std::cout << c << " " << c;
      
      // keep track of how far we backspace so we don't clear the entire console with this trick:
      idx--;
      continue;
    }
    else if ((int)c == 13) {
      // code 13 is ENTER
      break;
    }
    else if (idx == 0 && (int)c == 8) {
      // We don't backspace if there's nothing to erase...
      continue;
    }

    // Fill whatever the user typed with *
    std::cout << "*";
    
    // Store the real password in the buffer
    input[idx++] = c;
  } while (idx < 256);

  std::cout << std::endl;
  input[idx] = '\0';

  // Get the password from the character stream
  std::getline(ss, pass);
  
  // create an http basic auth header
  client.set_basic_auth(user.c_str(), pass.c_str());
}