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This module implements a high-level asynchronous sockets API based on the asynchronous dispatcher defined in the asyncdispatch module.

Asynchronous IO in Nim

Async IO in Nim consists of multiple layers (from highest to lowest):

  • asyncnet module
  • Async await
  • asyncdispatch module (event loop)
  • selectors module

Each builds on top of the layers below it. The selectors module is an abstraction for the various system select() mechanisms such as epoll or kqueue. If you wish you can use it directly, and some people have done so successfully. But you must be aware that on Windows it only supports select().

The async dispatcher implements the proactor pattern and also has an implementation of IOCP. It implements the proactor pattern for other OS’ via the selectors module. Futures are also implemented here, and indeed all the procedures return a future.

The final layer is the async await transformation. This allows you to write asynchronous code in a synchronous style and works similar to C#’s await. The transformation works by converting any async procedures into an iterator.

This is all single threaded, fully non-blocking and does give you a lot of control. In theory you should be able to work with any of these layers interchangeably (as long as you only care about non-Windows platforms).

For most applications using asyncnet is the way to go as it builds over all the layers, providing some extra features such as buffering.

SSL

SSL can be enabled by compiling with the -d:ssl flag.

You must create a new SSL context with the newContext function defined in the net module. You may then call wrapSocket on your socket using the newly created SSL context to get an SSL socket.

Examples

Chat server

The following example demonstrates a simple chat server.

  1. import std/[asyncnet, asyncdispatch]
  3. var clients {.threadvar.}: seq[AsyncSocket]
  5. proc processClient(client: AsyncSocket) {.async.} =
  6.   while true:
  7.     let line = await client.recvLine()
  8.     if line.len == 0: break
  9.     for c in clients:
  10.       await c.send(line & "\c\L")
  12. proc serve() {.async.} =
  13.   clients = @[]
  14.   var server = newAsyncSocket()
  15.   server.setSockOpt(OptReuseAddr, true)
  16.   server.bindAddr(Port(12345))
  17.   server.listen()
  19.   while true:
  20.     let client = await server.accept()
  21.     clients.add client
  23.     asyncCheck processClient(client)
  25. asyncCheck serve()
  26. runForever()

Imports

since, asyncdispatch, nativesockets, net, os, openssl

Types

  1. AsyncSocket = ref AsyncSocketDesc

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Procs

  1. proc accept(socket: AsyncSocket; flags = {SafeDisconn}): owned(
  2.     Future[AsyncSocket]) {....raises: [ValueError, OSError, Exception],
  3.                            tags: [RootEffect], forbids: [].}

Accepts a new connection. Returns a future containing the client socket corresponding to that connection. If inheritable is false (the default), the resulting client socket will not be inheritable by child processes. The future will complete when the connection is successfully accepted. Source Edit 

  1. proc acceptAddr(socket: AsyncSocket; flags = {SafeDisconn};
  2.                 inheritable = defined(nimInheritHandles)): owned(
  3.     Future[tuple[address: string, client: AsyncSocket]]) {.
  4.     ...raises: [ValueError, OSError, Exception], tags: [RootEffect], forbids: [].}

Accepts a new connection. Returns a future containing the client socket corresponding to that connection and the remote address of the client.

If inheritable is false (the default), the resulting client socket will not be inheritable by child processes.

The future will complete when the connection is successfully accepted.

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  1. proc bindAddr(socket: AsyncSocket; port = Port(0); address = "") {.
  2.     ...tags: [ReadIOEffect], raises: [ValueError, OSError], forbids: [].}

Binds address:port to the socket.

If address is “” then ADDR_ANY will be bound.

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  1. proc bindUnix(socket: AsyncSocket; path: string) {....raises: [], tags: [],
  2.     forbids: [].}

Binds Unix socket to path. This only works on Unix-style systems: Mac OS X, BSD and Linux Source Edit 

  1. proc close(socket: AsyncSocket) {....raises: [LibraryError, Exception, SslError],
  2.                                   tags: [RootEffect], forbids: [].}

Closes the socket. Source Edit 

  1. proc connect(socket: AsyncSocket; address: string; port: Port): owned(
  2.     Future[void]) {....stackTrace: false, raises: [Exception], tags: [RootEffect],
  3.                     forbids: [].}

Connects socket to server at address:port.

Returns a Future which will complete when the connection succeeds or an error occurs.

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  1. proc connectUnix(socket: AsyncSocket; path: string): owned(Future[void]) {.
  2.     ...raises: [], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Binds Unix socket to path. This only works on Unix-style systems: Mac OS X, BSD and Linux Source Edit 

  1. proc dial(address: string; port: Port; protocol = IPPROTO_TCP; buffered = true): owned(
  2.     Future[AsyncSocket]) {....stackTrace: false, raises: [Exception, ValueError],
  3.                            tags: [RootEffect], forbids: [].}

Establishes connection to the specified address:port pair via the specified protocol. The procedure iterates through possible resolutions of the address until it succeeds, meaning that it seamlessly works with both IPv4 and IPv6. Returns AsyncSocket ready to send or receive data. Source Edit 

  1. proc getFd(socket: AsyncSocket): SocketHandle {....raises: [], tags: [],
  2.     forbids: [].}

Returns the socket’s file descriptor. Source Edit 

  1. proc getLocalAddr(socket: AsyncSocket): (string, Port) {.
  2.     ...raises: [OSError, Exception], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Get the socket’s local address and port number.

This is high-level interface for getsockname.

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  1. proc getPeerAddr(socket: AsyncSocket): (string, Port) {.
  2.     ...raises: [OSError, Exception], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Get the socket’s peer address and port number.

This is high-level interface for getpeername.

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  1. proc getPeerCertificates(socket: AsyncSocket): seq[Certificate] {.
  2.     ...raises: [Exception], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Returns the certificate chain received by the peer we are connected to through the given socket. The handshake must have been completed and the certificate chain must have been verified successfully or else an empty sequence is returned. The chain is ordered from leaf certificate to root certificate. Source Edit 

  1. proc getSockOpt(socket: AsyncSocket; opt: SOBool; level = SOL_SOCKET): bool {.
  2.     ...tags: [ReadIOEffect], raises: [OSError], forbids: [].}

Retrieves option opt as a boolean value. Source Edit 

  1. proc hasDataBuffered(s: AsyncSocket): bool {....raises: [], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Determines whether an AsyncSocket has data buffered. Source Edit 

  1. proc isClosed(socket: AsyncSocket): bool {....raises: [], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Determines whether the socket has been closed. Source Edit 

  1. proc isSsl(socket: AsyncSocket): bool {....raises: [], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Determines whether socket is a SSL socket. Source Edit 

  1. proc listen(socket: AsyncSocket; backlog = SOMAXCONN) {....tags: [ReadIOEffect],
  2.     raises: [OSError], forbids: [].}

Marks socket as accepting connections. Backlog specifies the maximum length of the queue of pending connections.

Raises an OSError error upon failure.

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  1. proc newAsyncSocket(domain, sockType, protocol: cint; buffered = true;
  2.                     inheritable = defined(nimInheritHandles)): owned(AsyncSocket) {.
  3.     ...raises: [OSError], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Creates a new asynchronous socket.

This procedure will also create a brand new file descriptor for this socket.

If inheritable is false (the default), the new file descriptor will not be inheritable by child processes.

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  1. proc newAsyncSocket(domain: Domain = AF_INET; sockType: SockType = SOCK_STREAM;
  2.                     protocol: Protocol = IPPROTO_TCP; buffered = true;
  3.                     inheritable = defined(nimInheritHandles)): owned(AsyncSocket) {.
  4.     ...raises: [OSError], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Creates a new asynchronous socket.

This procedure will also create a brand new file descriptor for this socket.

If inheritable is false (the default), the new file descriptor will not be inheritable by child processes.

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  1. proc newAsyncSocket(fd: AsyncFD; domain: Domain = AF_INET;
  2.                     sockType: SockType = SOCK_STREAM;
  3.                     protocol: Protocol = IPPROTO_TCP; buffered = true;
  4.                     inheritable = defined(nimInheritHandles)): owned(AsyncSocket) {.
  5.     ...raises: [OSError], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Creates a new AsyncSocket based on the supplied params.

The supplied fd’s non-blocking state will be enabled implicitly.

If inheritable is false (the default), the supplied fd will not be inheritable by child processes.

Note: This procedure will NOT register fd with the global async dispatcher. You need to do this manually. If you have used newAsyncNativeSocket to create fd then it’s already registered.

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  1. proc recv(socket: AsyncSocket; size: int; flags = {SafeDisconn}): owned(
  2.     Future[string]) {....stackTrace: false, raises: [Exception, ValueError],
  3.                       tags: [RootEffect], forbids: [].}

Reads up to size bytes from socket.

For buffered sockets this function will attempt to read all the requested data. It will read this data in BufferSize chunks.

For unbuffered sockets this function makes no effort to read all the data requested. It will return as much data as the operating system gives it.

If socket is disconnected during the recv operation then the future may complete with only a part of the requested data.

If socket is disconnected and no data is available to be read then the future will complete with a value of “”.

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  1. proc recvFrom(socket: AsyncSocket; data: FutureVar[string]; size: int;
  2.               address: FutureVar[string]; port: FutureVar[Port];
  3.               flags = {SafeDisconn}): owned(Future[int]) {....stackTrace: false,
  4.     raises: [ValueError, Exception], tags: [RootEffect], forbids: [].}

Receives a datagram data from socket into data, which must be at least of size size. The address and port of datagram’s sender will be stored into address and port, respectively. Returned future will complete once one datagram has been received, and will return size of packet received.

If an error occurs an OSError exception will be raised.

This proc is normally used with connectionless sockets (UDP sockets).

Notes

  • data must be initialized to the length of size.
  • address must be initialized to 46 in length.

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  1. proc recvFrom(socket: AsyncSocket; size: int; flags = {SafeDisconn}): owned(
  2.     Future[tuple[data: string, address: string, port: Port]]) {.
  3.     ...stackTrace: false, raises: [Exception, ValueError], tags: [RootEffect],
  4.     forbids: [].}

Receives a datagram data from socket, which must be at least of size size. Returned future will complete once one datagram has been received and will return tuple with: data of packet received; and address and port of datagram’s sender.

If an error occurs an OSError exception will be raised.

This proc is normally used with connectionless sockets (UDP sockets).

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  1. proc recvInto(socket: AsyncSocket; buf: pointer; size: int;
  2.               flags = {SafeDisconn}): owned(Future[int]) {....stackTrace: false,
  3.     raises: [Exception, ValueError], tags: [RootEffect], forbids: [].}

Reads up to size bytes from socket into buf.

For buffered sockets this function will attempt to read all the requested data. It will read this data in BufferSize chunks.

For unbuffered sockets this function makes no effort to read all the data requested. It will return as much data as the operating system gives it.

If socket is disconnected during the recv operation then the future may complete with only a part of the requested data.

If socket is disconnected and no data is available to be read then the future will complete with a value of 0.

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  1. proc recvLine(socket: AsyncSocket; flags = {SafeDisconn};
  2.               maxLength = MaxLineLength): owned(Future[string]) {.
  3.     ...stackTrace: false, raises: [Exception, ValueError], tags: [RootEffect],
  4.     forbids: [].}

Reads a line of data from socket. Returned future will complete once a full line is read or an error occurs.

If a full line is read \r\L is not added to line, however if solely \r\L is read then line will be set to it.

If the socket is disconnected, line will be set to “”.

If the socket is disconnected in the middle of a line (before \r\L is read) then line will be set to “”. The partial line will be lost.

The maxLength parameter determines the maximum amount of characters that can be read. The result is truncated after that.

Warning: The Peek flag is not yet implemented.

Warning: recvLine on unbuffered sockets assumes that the protocol uses \r\L to delimit a new line.

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  1. proc recvLineInto(socket: AsyncSocket; resString: FutureVar[string];
  2.                   flags = {SafeDisconn}; maxLength = MaxLineLength): owned(
  3.     Future[void]) {....stackTrace: false, raises: [ValueError, Exception],
  4.                     tags: [RootEffect], forbids: [].}

Reads a line of data from socket into resString.

If a full line is read \r\L is not added to line, however if solely \r\L is read then line will be set to it.

If the socket is disconnected, line will be set to “”.

If the socket is disconnected in the middle of a line (before \r\L is read) then line will be set to “”. The partial line will be lost.

The maxLength parameter determines the maximum amount of characters that can be read. resString will be truncated after that.

Warning: The Peek flag is not yet implemented.

Warning: recvLineInto on unbuffered sockets assumes that the protocol uses \r\L to delimit a new line.

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  1. proc send(socket: AsyncSocket; buf: pointer; size: int; flags = {SafeDisconn}): owned(
  2.     Future[void]) {....stackTrace: false, raises: [Exception], tags: [RootEffect],
  3.                     forbids: [].}

Sends size bytes from buf to socket. The returned future will complete once all data has been sent. Source Edit 

  1. proc send(socket: AsyncSocket; data: string; flags = {SafeDisconn}): owned(
  2.     Future[void]) {....stackTrace: false, raises: [Exception], tags: [RootEffect],
  3.                     forbids: [].}

Sends data to socket. The returned future will complete once all data has been sent. Source Edit 

  1. proc sendTo(socket: AsyncSocket; address: string; port: Port; data: string;
  2.             flags = {SafeDisconn}): owned(Future[void]) {....stackTrace: false,
  3.     raises: [Exception], tags: [RootEffect], forbids: [].}

This proc sends data to the specified address, which may be an IP address or a hostname. If a hostname is specified this function will try each IP of that hostname. The returned future will complete once all data has been sent.

If an error occurs an OSError exception will be raised.

This proc is normally used with connectionless sockets (UDP sockets).

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  1. proc setSockOpt(socket: AsyncSocket; opt: SOBool; value: bool;
  2.                 level = SOL_SOCKET) {....tags: [WriteIOEffect], raises: [OSError],
  3.                                       forbids: [].}

Sets option opt to a boolean value specified by value. Source Edit 

  1. proc sslHandle(self: AsyncSocket): SslPtr {....raises: [], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Retrieve the ssl pointer of socket. Useful for interfacing with openssl. Source Edit 

  1. proc wrapConnectedSocket(ctx: SslContext; socket: AsyncSocket;
  2.                          handshake: SslHandshakeType; hostname: string = "") {.
  3.     ...raises: [SslError], tags: [], forbids: [].}

Wraps a connected socket in an SSL context. This function effectively turns socket into an SSL socket. hostname should be specified so that the client knows which hostname the server certificate should be validated against.

This should be called on a connected socket, and will perform an SSL handshake immediately.

Disclaimer: This code is not well tested, may be very unsafe and prone to security vulnerabilities.

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  1. proc wrapSocket(ctx: SslContext; socket: AsyncSocket) {....raises: [SslError],
  2.     tags: [], forbids: [].}

Wraps a socket in an SSL context. This function effectively turns socket into an SSL socket.

Disclaimer: This code is not well tested, may be very unsafe and prone to security vulnerabilities.

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Exports

SOBool