rpclib

rpclib is a RPC library for C++, providing both a client and server implementation. It is built using modern C++14, and as such, requires a recent compiler. Main highlights:

• Expose functions of your program to be called via RPC (from any language implementing msgpack-rpc)
• Call functions through RPC (of programs written in any language)
• No IDL to learn
• No code generation step to integrate in your build, just C++

Notice

This is a fork of rpclib, where ASIO was updated to 1.16.1, by that server supports server::run_for. Which is also a trick used in CARLA, running a server for a short period of time during Tick of UnrealEngine so that functions lies within game thread. The way CALRA was implement works but with wrapping another asio over rpclib server. This rpclib update will natively support run_for inside the rpclib. See examples/server_run_for for how to use it.

Look&feel

Server

#include <iostream>
#include "rpc/server.h"

void foo() {
    std::cout << "foo was called!" << std::endl;
}

int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
    // Creating a server that listens on port 8080
    rpc::server srv(8080);

    // Binding the name "foo" to free function foo.
    // note: the signature is automatically captured
    srv.bind("foo", &foo);

    // Binding a lambda function to the name "add".
    srv.bind("add", [](int a, int b) {
        return a + b;
    });

    // Run the server loop.
    srv.run();

    return 0;
}

When srv.run() is called, rpclib starts the server loop which listens to incoming connections and tries to dispatch calls to the bound functions. The functions are called from the thread where run was called from. There is also async_run that spawns worker threads and returns immediately.

Client

#include <iostream>
#include "rpc/client.h"

int main() {
    // Creating a client that connects to the localhost on port 8080
    rpc::client client("127.0.0.1", 8080);

    // Calling a function with paramters and converting the result to int
    auto result = client.call("add", 2, 3).as<int>();
    std::cout << "The result is: " << result << std::endl;
    return 0;
}

Status

All planned 1.0.0 features are done and tested; the current state is production-ready.

Who uses rpclib?

This list is updated as I learn about more people using the library; let me know if you don't want your project listed here.

• Microsoft AirSim

Thanks

rpclib builds on the efforts of fantastic C++ projects. In no particular order:

• MessagePack implementation for C and C++ by Takatoshi Kondo (website)
• asio by Christopher Kohlhoff (website)
• cppformat (now renamed fmtlib, by Victor Zverovich (website)
• googletest by Google
• wheels by Martinho Fernandes

Shoutouts to

• Appveyor
• Travis CI
• Coveralls.io
• Coverity
• ASan & TSan helped spotting and resolving many bugs.