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authorGarrett D'Amore <garrett@damore.org>2025-01-01 19:11:54 -0800
committerGarrett D'Amore <garrett@damore.org>2025-01-01 19:11:54 -0800
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docs: convert the context docs to mdbook
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+# Contexts
+
+Contexts {{hi:context}} in Scalability Protocols provide for isolation of protocol-specific
+state machines and associated data, allowing multiple {{i:concurrent}} {{i:state machines}} (or transactions)
+to coexist on a single [socket].
+
+For example, a [REP][rep] server may wish to allow many requests to be serviced concurrently,
+even though some jobs may take significant time to process. Contexts provide for this ability.
+
+Not all protocols have contexts, because many protocols simply have no state to manage.
+The following protocols support contexts:
+
+- [REP][rep]
+- [REQ][req]
+- [RESPONDENT][respondent]
+- [SURVEYOR][surveyor]
+- [SUB][sub]
+
+For these protocols, the socket will also have a single, default, context that is used when
+performing send or receive operations on the socket directly.
+
+Other protocols are stateless, at least with respect to message processing, and have no use for
+contexts. For the same reason, [raw] mode sockets do not support contexts.
+
+> [!TIP]
+> Developers with experience with [libnanomsg] may be used to using [raw] sockets for concurrency.
+> Contexts provide a superior solution, as they are much easier to use, less error prone, and allow
+> for easy control of the amount of concurrency used on any given socket.
+
+One drawback of contexts is that they cannot be used with file descriptor polling using
+[`nng_socket_get_recv_poll_fd`] or [`nng_socket_get_send_poll_fd`].
+
+## Context Structure
+
+```c
+#define NNG_CTX_INITIALIZER // opaque value
+
+typedef struct nng_ctx_s nng_ctx;
+```
+
+The {{i:`nng_ctx`}} structure represents context. This is a handle, and
+the members of it are opaque. However, unlike a pointer, it is passed by value.
+
+A context may be initialized statically with the {{i:`NNG_CTX_INITIALIZER`}} macro,
+to ensure that it cannot be confused with a valid open context.
+
+## Creating a Context
+
+```c
+int nng_ctx_open(nng_ctx *ctxp, nng_socket s);
+```
+
+The {{i:`nng_ctx_open`}} function creates a separate context to be used with the [socket] _s_,
+and returns it at the location pointed by _ctxp_.
+
+## Context Identity
+
+```c
+int nng_ctx_id(nng_ctx c);
+```
+
+The {{i:`nng_ctx_id`}} function returns a positive identifier for the context _c_ if it is valid.
+Otherwise it returns `-1`.
+
+A context is considered valid if it was ever opened with [`nng_ctx_open`] function.
+Contexts that are allocated on the stack or statically should be initialized with the macro [`NNG_CTX_INITIALIZER`]
+to ensure that they cannot be confused with a valid context before they are opened.
+
+## Closing a Context
+
+```c
+int nng_ctx_close(nng_ctx ctx);
+```
+
+The {{i:`nng_ctx_close`}} function closes the context _ctx_.
+Messages that have been submitted for sending may be flushed or delivered,
+depending upon the transport.
+
+Further attempts to use the context after this call returns will result in `NNG_ECLOSED`.
+Threads waiting for operations on the context when this
+call is executed may also return with an `NNG_ECLOSED` result.
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> Closing the socket associated with _ctx_ using `nng_socket_close`] also closes this context.
+
+## Sending Messages
+
+```c
+int nng_ctx_sendmsg(nng_ctx ctx, nng_msg *msg, int flags);
+void nng_ctx_send(nng_ctx ctx, nng_aio *aio);
+```
+
+These functions ({{i:`nng_ctx_sendmsg`}} and {{i:`nng_ctx_send`}}) send
+messages over the socket _s_. The differences in their behaviors are as follows.
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> The semantics of what sending a message means varies from protocol to
+> protocol, so examination of the protocol documentation is encouraged.
+> Additionally, some protocols may not support sending at all or may require other pre-conditions first.
+> (For example, [REP][rep] sockets cannot normally send data until they have first received a request,
+> while [SUB][sub] sockets can only receive data and never send it.)
+
+### nng_ctx_sendmsg
+
+The `nng_ctx_sendmsg` function sends the _msg_ over the context _ctx_.
+
+If this function returns zero, then the socket will dispose of _msg_ when the transmission is complete.
+If the function returns a non-zero status, then the call retains the responsibility for disposing of _msg_.
+
+The _flags_ can contain the value [`NNG_FLAG_NONBLOCK`], indicating that the function should not wait if the socket
+cannot accept more data for sending. In such a case, it will return [`NNG_EAGAIN`].
+
+### nng_ctx_send
+
+The `nng_ctx_send` function sends a message asynchronously, using the [`nng_aio`] _aio_, over the context _ctx_.
+The message to send must have been set on _aio_ using the [`nng_aio_set_msg`] function.
+
+If the operation completes successfully, then the context will have disposed of the message.
+However, if it fails, then callback of _aio_ should arrange for a final disposition of the message.
+(The message can be retrieved from _aio_ with [`nng_aio_get_msg`].)
+
+Note that callback associated with _aio_ may be called _before_ the message is finally delivered to the recipient.
+For example, the message may be sitting in queue, or located in TCP buffers, or even in flight.
+
+> [!TIP]
+> This is the preferred function to use for sending data on a context. While it does require a few extra
+> steps on the part of the application, the lowest latencies and highest performance will be achieved by using
+> this function instead of [`nng_ctx_sendmsg`].
+
+## Receiving Messages
+
+```c
+int nng_ctx_recvmsg(nng_ctx ctx, nng_msg **msgp, int flags);
+void nng_ctx_recv(nng_ctx ctx, nng_aio *aio);
+```
+
+These functions (, {{i:`nng_ctx_recvmsg`}} and {{i:`nng_ctx_recv`}}) receive
+messages over the context _ctx_. The differences in their behaviors are as follows.
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> The semantics of what receving a message means varies from protocol to
+> protocol, so examination of the protocol documentation is encouraged.
+> Additionally, some protocols may not support receiving at all or may require other pre-conditions first.
+> (For example, [REQ][req] sockets cannot normally receive data until they have first sent a request.)
+
+### nng_recvmsg
+
+The `nng_ctx_recvmsg` function receives a message and stores a pointer to the [`nng_msg`] for that message in _msgp_.
+
+The _flags_ can contain the value [`NNG_FLAG_NONBLOCK`], indicating that the function should not wait if the socket
+has no messages available to receive. In such a case, it will return [`NNG_EAGAIN`].
+
+### nng_recv_aio
+
+The `nng_ctx_send` function receives a message asynchronously, using the [`nng_aio`] _aio_, over the context _ctx_.
+On success, the received message can be retrieved from the _aio_ using the [`nng_aio_get_msg`] function.
+
+> [!NOTE]
+> It is important that the application retrieves the message, and disposes of it accordingly.
+> Failure to do so will leak the memory.
+
+> [!TIP]
+> This is the preferred function to use for receiving data on a context. While it does require a few extra
+> steps on the part of the application, the lowest latencies and highest performance will be achieved by using
+> this function instead of [`nng_ctx_recvmsg`].
+
+## Context Options
+
+```c
+int nng_ctx_get_bool(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, bool *valp);
+int nng_ctx_get_int(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, int *valp);
+int nng_ctx_get_ms(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, nng_duration *valp);
+int nng_ctx_get_size(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, size_t *valp);
+int nng_ctx_get_uint64(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, uint64_t *valp);
+
+int nng_ctx_set_bool(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, int val);
+int nng_ctx_set_int(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, int val);
+int nng_ctx_set_ms(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, nng_duration val);
+int nng_ctx_set_size(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, size_t val);
+int nng_ctx_set_uint64(nng_ctx ctx, const char *opt, uint64_t val);
+```
+
+These functions are used to retrieve or change the value of an option named _opt_ from the context _ctx_.
+The `nng_ctx_get_` functions retrieve the value, and store it in the location _valp_ references.
+The `nng_ctx_set_` functions change the value for the _ctx_, taking it from _val_.
+
+These functions access an option as a specific type. The protocol will have details about which options
+are available for contexts, and which type they may be accessed using.
+
+## Examples
+
+These examples show building blocks for a concurrent service based on contexts.
+
+### Example 1: Context Echo Server
+
+The following program fragment demonstrates the use of contexts to implement
+a concurrent [REP][rep] service that simply echos messages back
+to the sender.
+
+```c
+struct echo_context {
+ nng_ctx ctx;
+ nng_aio *aio;
+ enum { INIT, RECV, SEND } state;
+};
+
+void
+echo(void *arg)
+{
+ struct echo_context *ec = arg;
+
+ switch (ec->state) {
+ case INIT:
+ ec->state = RECV;
+ nng_ctx_recv(ec->ctx, ec->aio);
+ return;
+ case RECV:
+ if (nng_aio_result(ec->aio) != 0) {
+ // ... handle error
+ }
+ // We reuse the message on the ec->aio
+ ec->state = SEND;
+ nng_ctx_send(ec->ctx, ec->aio);
+ return;
+ case SEND:
+ if (nng_aio_result(ec->aio) != 0) {
+ // ... handle error
+ }
+ ec->state = RECV;
+ nng_ctx_recv(ec->ctx, ec->aio);
+ return;
+ }
+}
+```
+
+### Example 2: Starting the Echo Service
+
+Given the above fragment, the following example shows setting up the service.
+It assumes that the [socket] has already been
+created and any transports set up as well with functions such as [`nng_dial`] or [`nng_listen`].
+
+```c
+
+#define CONCURRENCY 1024
+
+static struct echo_context ecs[CONCURRENCY];
+
+void
+start_echo_service(nng_socket rep_socket)
+{
+ for (int i = 0; i < CONCURRENCY; i++) {
+ // error checks elided for clarity
+ nng_ctx_open(&ecs[i].ctx, rep_socket);
+ nng_aio_alloc(&ecs[i].aio, echo, ecs+i);
+ ecs[i].state = INIT;
+ echo(ecs+i); // start it running
+ }
+}
+```
+
+{{#include ../xref.md}}
diff --git a/docs/ref/api/index.md b/docs/ref/api/index.md
index 0f20f898..c154ce40 100644
--- a/docs/ref/api/index.md
+++ b/docs/ref/api/index.md
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ include the `nng/nng.h` header file like so:
- [Initialization](init.md)
- [Messages](msg.md)
- [Sockets](sock.md)
+- [Contexts](ctx.md)
- [Memory](memory.md)
- [Time](time.md)
- [URLs](url.md)