3_qb_io

QB-IO Module: High-Performance Asynchronous I/O & Utilities

Welcome to the qb-io module documentation. qb-io is the foundational C++17 library that powers the QB Actor Framework's responsive, non-blocking input/output capabilities. More than just a component of the actor system, qb-io is a comprehensive, cross-platform toolkit designed for building high-performance, event-driven applications. It can be used effectively as a standalone library for any project requiring efficient asynchronous I/O.

This section provides a detailed exploration of qb-io's features, architecture, and usage.

Key Topics in This Section:

• QB-IO: Feature Showcase

  • A comprehensive rundown of the capabilities offered by the qb-io library, from its core asynchronous engine to networking, protocol handling, file system operations, and essential utilities like crypto and compression.

• QB-IO: The Asynchronous Engine (qb::io::async)

  • A deep dive into qb-io's event loop (listener), timers, asynchronous callbacks, and event management framework, crucial for standalone asynchronous programming and for understanding the base of qb-core.

• QB-IO: Understanding Transports

  • Explore how qb-io's transport layer bridges abstract streams with concrete I/O mechanisms like TCP, UDP, SSL/TLS, and local files.

• QB-IO: Framing Messages with Protocols

  • Learn how qb-io uses protocols (both built-in and custom via AProtocol) to define message boundaries and parse data from byte streams for various transports.

• QB-IO: Secure TCP with SSL/TLS

  • Detailed information on enabling and using SSL/TLS for secure, encrypted TCP communication within qb-io, leveraging OpenSSL.

• QB-IO: Essential Utilities & Helpers

  • Discover the rich set of utility classes and functions in qb-io for common system programming tasks, including URI parsing, cryptography, compression, high-precision time, optimized containers, and system information.

How to Use This Section

• Start with the Feature Showcase for a broad overview.
• Dive into The Asynchronous Engine to understand the fundamentals of qb-io's event-driven model.
• Explore Transports and Protocols to learn how to handle specific types of I/O and data framing.
• Refer to Secure TCP and Utilities for specialized needs.

By understanding these components, you can leverage qb-io to build highly concurrent and performant C++ applications, either as part of the full QB Actor Framework or as a powerful standalone I/O solution.

(Next: After exploring qb-io, you might want to see how it integrates with the actor model in the QB-Core Module Overview or review the Core & IO Integration Overview.)**