An introduction to the new socket API

TALK LEVEL: INTERMEDIATE

There is an experimental new socket API since OTP 22 that is thinner, lighter, and faster than the old gen_{tcp,udp,sctp} over inet_drv. It is implemented with NIFs on the Unix networking functions, which potentially gives the programmer access to _all_ of the socket functionality in the OS networking stack. This talk gives an overview of the API, some details on the implementation, informs on what is done and missing, and how the new sockets is intended to fit in the rest of Erlang/OTP.

THIS TALK IN THREE WORDS

Sockets Overview Puzzle-piece

OBJECTIVES

To inform about the look and feel, and advantages of the new socket API, with some design details and future plans.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Erlang/Elixir programmers that deal with networking.