Build your own Redis

The Guide below is a sequence of tasks which will be divided into various levels and ultimately will help you build your own REDIS

The provided code is a basic TCP server implemented in C.

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <sys/socket.h>
#include <netinet/in.h>
#include <netinet/ip.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <unistd.h>

int main() {
    // Disable output buffering
    setbuf(stdout, NULL);
    setbuf(stderr, NULL);

    // Debugging message
    printf("Logs from your program will appear here!\n");

    int server_fd, client_addr_len;
    struct sockaddr_in client_addr;

    // Step 1: Create a socket
    server_fd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
    if (server_fd == -1) {
        printf("Socket creation failed: %s...\n", strerror(errno));
        return 1;
    }

    // Step 2: Set socket options
    int reuse = 1;
    if (setsockopt(server_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, &reuse, sizeof(reuse)) < 0) {
        printf("SO_REUSEADDR failed: %s \n", strerror(errno));
        return 1;
    }

    // Step 3: Define server address
    struct sockaddr_in serv_addr = {
        .sin_family = AF_INET,
        .sin_port = htons(6379),
        .sin_addr = { htonl(INADDR_ANY) },
    };

    // Step 4: Bind the socket
    if (bind(server_fd, (struct sockaddr *) &serv_addr, sizeof(serv_addr)) != 0) {
        printf("Bind failed: %s \n", strerror(errno));
        return 1;
    }

    // Step 5: Listen for connections
    int connection_backlog = 5;
    if (listen(server_fd, connection_backlog) != 0) {
        printf("Listen failed: %s \n", strerror(errno));
        return 1;
    }

    // Step 6: Accept a client connection
    printf("Waiting for a client to connect...\n");
    client_addr_len = sizeof(client_addr);
    accept(server_fd, (struct sockaddr *) &client_addr, &client_addr_len);
    printf("Client connected\n");

    // Step 7: Close the server socket
    close(server_fd);
    return 0;
}

Let's break down each part to understand its functionality, especially for someone new to socket programming.

Header files

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <sys/socket.h>
#include <netinet/in.h>
#include <netinet/ip.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <unistd.h>

#include <stdio.h>: Provides functions for input and output operations, such as printf for displaying text.
#include <stdlib.h>: Offers general utilities, including memory allocation (malloc, free) and process control (exit).
#include <sys/socket.h>: Contains definitions for socket functions and structures, like socket, bind, and accept.
#include <netinet/in.h>: Defines structures for internet operations, such as sockaddr_in, which is used for handling IP addresses.
#include <netinet/ip.h>: Provides declarations for the IP header structure.
#include <string.h>: Offers functions for manipulating C strings and memory, like memset and strerror.
#include <errno.h>: Defines macros for reporting and retrieving error conditions through the errno variable.
#include <unistd.h>: Declares standard symbolic constants and types, and declares miscellaneous functions, such as close for closing file descriptors.

2. Main Function:

int main() {
    // Disable output buffering
    setbuf(stdout, NULL);
    setbuf(stderr, NULL);

int main() {: The entry point of the program.
setbuf(stdout, NULL); and setbuf(stderr, NULL);: These functions disable buffering for standard output (stdout) and standard error (stderr). This means that any output to the console is displayed immediately, which is helpful for debugging purposes.

3. Debugging Message:

printf("Logs from your program will appear here!\n");

printf: Outputs the specified string to the console. This line informs the user that the program has started and is ready to log messages.

4. Variable Declarations:

int server_fd, client_addr_len;
    struct sockaddr_in client_addr;

int server_fd, client_addr_len;: Declares two integer variables. server_fd will store the file descriptor for the server socket, and client_addr_len will hold the size of the client's address structure.
struct sockaddr_in client_addr;: Declares a structure to store the client's address information. sockaddr_in is specifically designed for handling internet addresses.

5. Socket Creation:

server_fd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
    if (server_fd == -1) {
        printf("Socket creation failed: %s...\n", strerror(errno));
        return 1;
    }

server_fd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);: Creates a new socket.
- AF_INET: Specifies the address family for IPv4.
- SOCK_STREAM: Indicates that the socket type is stream-oriented, which is used for TCP connections.
- 0: Specifies the protocol. Setting it to 0 lets the system choose the appropriate protocol based on the socket type and address family.
if (server_fd == -1) { ... }: Checks if the socket creation failed. If socket returns -1, an error occurred.
- strerror(errno): Converts the error number (errno) into a human-readable string describing the error.
- return 1;: Exits the program with a status code of 1, indicating an error.

6. Set Socket Options:

int reuse = 1;
    if (setsockopt(server_fd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, &reuse, sizeof(reuse)) < 0) {
        printf("SO_REUSEADDR failed: %s \n", strerror(errno));
        return 1;
    }

int reuse = 1;: Initializes an integer variable reuse to 1.
setsockopt: Sets options on the socket.
- server_fd: The socket file descriptor.
- SOL_SOCKET: Specifies that the option is at the socket level.
- SO_REUSEADDR: Allows the socket to bind to an address that is in a TIME_WAIT state, without waiting for its natural timeout to expire. This is useful for server applications that need to restart and bind to the same port.
- &reuse: A pointer to the value of the option.
- sizeof(reuse): The size of the option value.
if (setsockopt(...) < 0) { ... }: Checks if setting the socket option failed. If setsockopt returns -1, an error occurred.

7. Define Server Address:

struct sockaddr_in serv_addr = {
        .sin_family = AF_INET,
        .sin_port = htons(6379),
        .sin_addr = { htonl(INADDR_ANY) },
    };

struct sockaddr_in serv_addr = { ... };: Initializes a sockaddr_in structure to specify the server's address.
- .sin_family = AF_INET: Sets the address family to IPv4.
- .sin_port = htons(6379): Sets the port number to 6379. htons (host to network short) converts the port number from host byte order to network byte order, ensuring compatibility across different systems.
- .sin_addr = { htonl(INADDR_ANY) }: Sets the IP address to accept connections from any interface. htonl (host to network long) converts the address to network byte order. INADDR_ANY is a constant that allows the server to accept connections on any of the host

Workflow Steps:

Include Necessary Headers: Imports standard libraries required for socket programming.
Disable Output Buffering: Ensures immediate output display, useful for debugging.
Print Debugging Message: Indicates the program's start.
Declare Variables: Defines variables for the server socket file descriptor, client address length, and client address structure.
Create a Socket: Initializes a TCP socket using IPv4.
Set Socket Options: Allows the server to reuse the address if restarted, preventing "Address already in use" errors.
Define Server Address: Specifies the server's address family, port number, and IP address.
Bind the Socket: Associates the socket with the specified address and port.
Listen for Connections: Puts the server in a passive mode, waiting for client connection requests.
Accept a Client Connection: Waits for an incoming client connection and acknowledges it.
Close the Server Socket: Closes the server socket, releasing the associated resources.

Understanding and Learning:

To comprehend this code, focus on the following areas:

Socket Programming Basics: Understand the purpose of sockets in network communication and the differences between TCP and UDP protocols.
Client-Server Model: Learn how servers and clients interact, including the roles of binding, listening, and accepting connections on the server side, and connecting on the client side.
System Calls and Functions: Familiarize yourself with system calls like socket, bind, listen, accept, and setsockopt, including their parameters and return values.
Error Handling: Recognize the importance of checking return values for system calls and handling errors appropriately using errno and strerror.

Additional Resources:

To deepen your understanding of socket programming in C, consider exploring the following resources:

Beej's Guide to Network Programming: A comprehensive guide covering various aspects of network programming in C.
Beej
Socket Programming in C/C++ - javatpoint: An introductory tutorial on socket programming in C and C++.
Javatpoint
Socket Programming in C - GeeksforGeeks: A detailed article explaining socket programming concepts with examples.
GeeksforGeeks
A Beginner's Guide to Socket Programming in C: An article aimed at beginners, providing a clear introduction to socket programming.
DEV.to
Socket Programming Tutorial In C For Beginners | Part 1 | Eduonix: A video tutorial that introduces the basics of socket programming in C.
YouTube
Beej's Guide to Network Programming - GitHub Repository: The source code repository for Beej's Guide, useful for practical examples.
GitHub
Hands-On Network Programming with C: A GitHub repository accompanying a book that provides practical examples of network programming in C.
GitHub

These resources offer a mix of theoretical knowledge and practical examples to help you build a solid foundation in socket programming.

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Last updated 1 year ago

hashtagLet's break down each part to understand its functionality, especially for someone new to socket programming.

Let's break down each part to understand its functionality, especially for someone new to socket programming.