mirror of
https://github.com/matrix-construct/construct
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50 lines
2.4 KiB
Markdown
50 lines
2.4 KiB
Markdown
# IRCd Module Tree
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This directory contains dynamically loadable functionality to libircd. Many of
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these modules provide essential application functionality, but are not always
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required to be directly linked and loaded into libircd proper. Most application-
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specific functionality (i.e "business logic") is contained in modules within this
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tree.
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#### Layout
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The `modules/` directory tree is primarily shaped the same as the HTTP resource
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tree in which most of its modules register themselves in.
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Note that the installation layout is not the same as the development source
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layout (i.e in git). Upon installation, the module tree is collapsed into a
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single directory and installed into
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`$prefix/lib/modules/construct/$directory_$module.so`; where directories are
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replaced by underscores in the final `SONAME`. this may be subject to
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improvement.
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#### Approach
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Unlike most of the module systems found in traditional free software projects,
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our approach is oriented around *global symbol* availability to the address
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space rather than explicit imports from self-contained modules. This direction
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is made viable by C++ and advances in the compiler and linker toolchains. The
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result is significantly simpler and more convenient for developers to work with.
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- Modules are loaded with `RTLD_GLOBAL` on both posix and windows platforms.
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Use of C++ namespaces, visibility attributes, `STB_GNU_UNIQUE`, etc are
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adequate to make this modernization.
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- All project code is built to silently weaken undefined symbols. This means
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a complicated interface declared in a header, like a class interface with
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public and private and static members -- typical in C++ -- can be included
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by itself into any part of the project without knowing where the definitions
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of that interface are until they are *first used* at runtime. If said
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definitions are not available because they are in an unloaded module, a C++
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exception is thrown directly from the callsite.
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## Getting started
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The header `mods/mapi.h` is specific to modules and included for modules in
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addition to the core `ircd.h`. Both of these are included automatically
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via the compiler's command-line and the developer does not have to `#include`
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either in the module.
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Every loadable module requires a static `ircd::mapi::header` with the explicit
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name of `IRCD_MODULE`. This is an object which will be sought by the module
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loader in libircd. Nothing else is required.
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