diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index aea72fd2..f0138d62 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ if(ENABLE_LEGACY)
   set(cyclonedds_cpp_std_to_use 11)
   set(DDSCXX_USE_BOOST "1")
   find_package(Boost)
-  include_directories(${Boost_INCLUDE_DIR})
+  include_directories(SYSTEM ${Boost_INCLUDE_DIR})
 endif()
 
 include(CMakePackageConfigHelpers)
diff --git a/examples/helloworld/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/helloworld/CMakeLists.txt
index f3ccc7d3..ecf0335c 100644
--- a/examples/helloworld/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/helloworld/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 project(helloworld LANGUAGES C CXX)
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
 
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
+
 if(NOT TARGET CycloneDDS-CXX::ddscxx)
   find_package(CycloneDDS-CXX REQUIRED)
 endif()
diff --git a/examples/helloworld/publisher.cpp b/examples/helloworld/publisher.cpp
index 5e4c3f80..64775d53 100644
--- a/examples/helloworld/publisher.cpp
+++ b/examples/helloworld/publisher.cpp
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ int main() {
         HelloWorldData::Msg msg(1, "Hello World");
 
         /* Write the message. */
-        std::cout << "=== [Publisher] Write sample." << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "=== [Publisher] Write sample: " << msg << std::endl;
         writer.write(msg);
 
         /* With a normal configuration (see dds::pub::qos::DataWriterQos
diff --git a/examples/helloworld/subscriber.cpp b/examples/helloworld/subscriber.cpp
index 73a4d6d4..80ad7822 100644
--- a/examples/helloworld/subscriber.cpp
+++ b/examples/helloworld/subscriber.cpp
@@ -72,9 +72,7 @@ int main() {
                      * is set. The other data parts are not.
                      * Check if this sample has valid data. */
                     if (info.valid()) {
-                        std::cout << "=== [Subscriber] Message received:" << std::endl;
-                        std::cout << "    userID  : " << msg.userID() << std::endl;
-                        std::cout << "    Message : \"" << msg.message() << "\"" << std::endl;
+                        std::cout << "=== [Subscriber] Message received: " << msg << std::endl;
 
                         /* Only 1 message is expected in this example. */
                         poll = false;
diff --git a/examples/roundtrip/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/roundtrip/CMakeLists.txt
index bf27f18a..0c584c87 100644
--- a/examples/roundtrip/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/roundtrip/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 project(throughput LANGUAGES C CXX)
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
 
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
+
 if(NOT TARGET CycloneDDS-CXX::ddscxx)
   find_package(CycloneDDS-CXX REQUIRED)
 endif()
diff --git a/examples/throughput/CMakeLists.txt b/examples/throughput/CMakeLists.txt
index 1236ccb6..6c028e8a 100644
--- a/examples/throughput/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/examples/throughput/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 project(throughput LANGUAGES C CXX)
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
 
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
+
 if(NOT TARGET CycloneDDS-CXX::ddscxx)
   find_package(CycloneDDS-CXX REQUIRED)
 endif()
diff --git a/src/ddscxx/include/org/eclipse/cyclonedds/util/ostream_operators.hpp b/src/ddscxx/include/org/eclipse/cyclonedds/util/ostream_operators.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c0ad3e4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ddscxx/include/org/eclipse/cyclonedds/util/ostream_operators.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+// Copyright(c) 2006 to 2020 ZettaScale Technology and others
+//
+// This program and the accompanying materials are made available under the
+// terms of the Eclipse Public License v. 2.0 which is available at
+// http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-2.0, or the Eclipse Distribution License
+// v. 1.0 which is available at
+// http://www.eclipse.org/org/documents/edl-v10.php.
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: EPL-2.0 OR BSD-3-Clause
+ 
+/**
+ * @file
+ */
+
+#ifndef CYCLONEDDS_UTIL_OSTREAM_OPERATORS_HPP_
+#define CYCLONEDDS_UTIL_OSTREAM_OPERATORS_HPP_
+
+#include "dds/features.hpp"
+
+#include <array>
+#include <vector>
+#if DDSCXX_USE_BOOST
+#include <boost/optional.hpp>
+#define DDSCXX_STD_IMPL boost
+#else
+#include <optional>
+#define DDSCXX_STD_IMPL std
+#endif
+
+
+namespace std
+{
+
+template <typename T, size_t N>
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const std::array<T, N>& rhs)
+{
+  os << "[";
+  for (std::size_t i = 0; i < N; i++)
+  {
+    os << rhs[i];
+    if (i < N - 1)
+    {
+      os << ", ";
+    }
+  }
+  os << "]";
+  return os;
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const std::vector<T>& rhs)
+{
+  os << "[";
+  for(size_t i=0; i<rhs.size(); i++)
+  {
+    if (i != 0)
+    {
+      os << ", ";
+    }
+    os << rhs[i];
+  }
+  os << "]";
+  return os;
+}
+
+template<typename T>
+std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, const DDSCXX_STD_IMPL::optional<T>& rhs)
+{
+  return rhs ? os << rhs.value() : os;
+}
+
+} //namespace std
+
+#endif /* CYCLONEDDS_UTIL_OSTREAM_OPERATORS_HPP_ */
diff --git a/src/idlcxx/src/generator.c b/src/idlcxx/src/generator.c
index 6971161f..b0d2bfc1 100644
--- a/src/idlcxx/src/generator.c
+++ b/src/idlcxx/src/generator.c
@@ -861,8 +861,9 @@ generate_includes(const idl_pstate_t *pstate, struct generator *generator)
   }
 
   { int len = 0;
-    const char *incs[11];
+    const char *incs[12];
     incs[len++] = "<utility>";
+    incs[len++] = "<ostream>";
 
     if (generator->uses_integers)
       incs[len++] = "<cstdint>";
@@ -898,6 +899,16 @@ generate_includes(const idl_pstate_t *pstate, struct generator *generator)
   if (fputs("\n", generator->header.handle) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+  if (generator->uses_array || generator->uses_sequence || generator->uses_bounded_sequence || generator->uses_optional)
+  {
+    // ostream cpp
+    // streaming operators for the used std types
+    const char *fmt;
+    fmt = "#include <org/eclipse/cyclonedds/util/ostream_operators.hpp>\n\n";
+    if (fputs(fmt, generator->impl.handle) < 0)
+      return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+  }
+
   return IDL_RETCODE_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/idlcxx/src/types.c b/src/idlcxx/src/types.c
index 6ca78334..406155a2 100644
--- a/src/idlcxx/src/types.c
+++ b/src/idlcxx/src/types.c
@@ -129,6 +129,13 @@ emit_parameter(
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
   if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, sep, type, name, eofmt) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
+  // ostream - cpp
+  fmt = "  os << \"%1$s%2$s: \" << rhs.%2$s();\n";
+  sep = is_first(node) ? "" : ", ";
+  if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, fmt, sep, name) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
   return IDL_RETCODE_OK;
 }
 
@@ -263,6 +270,13 @@ emit_struct(
       return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
   }
 
+  // ostream - cpp
+  fmt = "std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, %s const& rhs)\n{\n"
+        "  (void) rhs;\n"
+        "  os << \"[\";\n";
+  if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, fmt, name) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
   if (fputs("{\nprivate:\n", gen->header.handle) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
@@ -326,6 +340,11 @@ emit_struct(
     fmt = "%2$s static_cast<const %1$s&>(*this) == static_cast<const %1$s&>(_other)";
     if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, base, _struct->members ? " &&\n      " : "") < 0)
       return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+    
+    // ostream cpp
+    fmt = "  os << \"%2$s%1$s: \" << static_cast<const %1$s&>(rhs);\n";
+    if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, fmt, base, _struct->members ? ", " : "") < 0)
+      return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
   }
 
   if (!_struct->members &&
@@ -345,6 +364,15 @@ emit_struct(
   if (fputs("\n};\n\n", gen->header.handle) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+  // ostream - hpp
+  fmt = "std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, %s const& rhs);\n\n";
+  if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, name) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
+  // ostream - cpp
+  if (fputs("  os << \"]\";\n  return os;\n}\n\n", gen->impl.handle) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
   return IDL_RETCODE_OK;
 }
 
@@ -370,12 +398,28 @@ emit_enum(
   if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, "enum class %s\n{\n", name) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+  // ostream cpp
+  fmt = "std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, %s const& rhs)\n{\n"
+        "  (void) rhs;\n"
+        "  switch (rhs)\n  {\n";
+  if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, fmt, name) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
+  const char* struct_name = get_cpp11_name(node);
+
   IDL_FOREACH(enumerator, _enum->enumerators) {
     name = get_cpp11_name(enumerator);
     value = enumerator->value.value;
     fmt = (value == skip) ? "%s%s" : "%s%s = %" PRIu32 "\n";
     if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, sep, name, value) < 0)
       return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
+    // ostream cpp
+    fmt = "    case %2$s::%1$s:\n"
+          "      os << \"%2$s::%1$s\"; break;\n";
+    if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, fmt, name, struct_name) < 0)
+      return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
     skip = value + 1;
     sep = ",\n  ";
   }
@@ -383,6 +427,14 @@ emit_enum(
   if (fputs("};\n\n", gen->header.handle) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+  // ostream cpp
+  if (fputs("    default: break;\n  }\n  return os;\n}\n\n", gen->impl.handle) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
+  // ostream hpp
+  if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, "std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, %s const& rhs);\n\n", struct_name) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
   return IDL_VISIT_DONT_RECURSE;
 }
 
@@ -447,13 +499,22 @@ emit_module(
   (void)pstate;
   (void)path;
 
+  name = get_cpp11_name(node);
   if (revisit) {
-    if (fputs("}\n\n", gen->header.handle) < 0)
+    if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, "} //namespace %s\n\n", name) < 0)
+      return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+    
+    // ostream cpp
+    if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, "} //namespace %s\n\n", name) < 0)
       return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
   } else  {
-    name = get_cpp11_name(node);
     if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, "namespace %s\n{\n", name) < 0)
       return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
+    // ostream cpp
+    if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, "namespace %s\n{\n", name) < 0)
+      return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
     return IDL_VISIT_REVISIT;
   }
 
@@ -570,6 +631,8 @@ emit_case(
   return IDL_RETCODE_OK;
 }
 
+static bool gen_ostream_case = false;
+
 static idl_retcode_t
 emit_case_label(
   const idl_pstate_t *pstate,
@@ -593,9 +656,23 @@ emit_case_label(
   {
     if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, "      default:\n") < 0)
       return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
-  } else if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, "      case %s:\n", value) < 0)
-    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+    // ostream cpp
+    if (gen_ostream_case) {
+      if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, "    default:\n") < 0)
+        return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+    }
+
+  } else {
+    if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, "      case %s:\n", value) < 0)
+      return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
+    // ostream cpp
+    if (gen_ostream_case) {
+      if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, "    case %s:\n", value) < 0)
+        return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+    }
+  }
   return IDL_RETCODE_OK;
 }
 
@@ -621,6 +698,11 @@ emit_case_comparison(
   if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, branch_name) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+  // ostream cpp
+  static const char* fmt2 = "      os << \"%1$s: \" << rhs.%1$s(); break;\n";
+  if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, fmt2, branch_name) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
   return IDL_RETCODE_OK;
 }
 
@@ -1012,6 +1094,14 @@ emit_union(
   if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, type, value) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+  // ostream cpp
+  fmt = "std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, %1$s const& rhs)\n"
+        "{\n"
+        "  (void) rhs;\n"
+        "  switch (rhs._d()) {\n";
+  if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, fmt, name) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
   visitor.visit = IDL_CASE | IDL_CASE_LABEL;
   visitor.accept[IDL_ACCEPT_CASE] = emit_case;
   visitor.accept[IDL_ACCEPT_CASE_LABEL] = emit_case_label;
@@ -1076,17 +1166,25 @@ emit_union(
   if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, name) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+  gen_ostream_case = true;
   visitor.visit = IDL_CASE | IDL_CASE_LABEL;
   visitor.accept[IDL_ACCEPT_CASE] = emit_case_comparison;
   visitor.accept[IDL_ACCEPT_CASE_LABEL] = emit_case_label;
   if ((ret = idl_visit(pstate, _union->cases, &visitor, user_data)))
     return ret;
 
+  gen_ostream_case = false;
+
   if (gen_default) {
     fmt =  "      default:\n"
            "        return true;\n";
     if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, name) < 0)
       return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
+    fmt =  "    default:\n    {\n"
+           "      // Prevent compiler warnings\n    }\n";
+    if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, fmt, name) < 0)
+      return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
   }
 
   fmt = "    }\n"
@@ -1099,6 +1197,10 @@ emit_union(
   if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, name) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+  // ostream cpp
+  if (idl_fprintf(gen->impl.handle, "  }\n  return os;\n}\n\n") < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
 
   /* implicit default setter */
   if (idl_mask(_union->default_case) == IDL_IMPLICIT_DEFAULT_CASE_LABEL) {
@@ -1116,6 +1218,12 @@ emit_union(
   if (fputs("};\n\n", gen->header.handle) < 0)
     return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
 
+  // ostream hpp
+  fmt = "std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& os, %s const& rhs);\n";
+  if (idl_fprintf(gen->header.handle, fmt, name) < 0)
+    return IDL_RETCODE_NO_MEMORY;
+
+
   return IDL_RETCODE_OK;
 }