Network Server API

Network Server API

Overview

The server class provides an asynchronous UDP server with built-in reliable packet handling (SAFE protocol). It manages connected clients, message dispatching, and acknowledgment logic.

Designed for multiplayer game servers using ECS-based architectures.

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Features

• Fully UDP-based server
• TCP-like reliability layer (SAFE)
• Client auto-discovery
• Thread-safe message queue
• Broadcast and selective messaging

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Class: server

Constructor

server(short port);

Creates and binds a UDP server.

Parameters

• port – UDP port to listen on

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Public Members

std::atomic_bool running;

Indicates whether the server is currently running.

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send()

void send(
    const std::string &client,
    size_t id,
    uint16_t protocol,
    uint16_t type,
    uint16_t size,
    const void *data,
    uint16_t uid = 0
);

Sends a packet to a specific client.

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sendAll()

void sendAll(
    size_t id,
    uint16_t protocol,
    uint16_t type,
    uint16_t size,
    const void *data
);

Broadcasts a packet to all connected clients.

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sendAllExcept()

void sendAllExcept(
    const std::string &clientToExcept,
    size_t id,
    uint16_t protocol,
    uint16_t type,
    uint16_t size,
    const void *data
);

Broadcasts a packet to all clients except one.

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pushMessage()

void pushMessage(
    size_t id,
    uint16_t protocol,
    uint16_t type,
    uint16_t size,
    const void *data
);

Queues a packet for later broadcast.

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sendMessages()

void sendMessages();

Flushes the send queue and dispatches all queued packets.

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popMessage()

bool popMessage(std::pair<std::string, data> &out);

Retrieves a received message.

Returns

• true if a message was available
• false otherwise

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Client Management

void removeClient(std::string &client);
void clear();
void allowNewClient(bool enable);
size_t size() const;

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Client Identification

Clients are identified using:

<ip>:<port>

Each client is assigned a unique SAFE UDP ID internally.

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Threading Model

• One dedicated network thread
• Message queues protected by mutex
• Asynchronous I/O using Boost.Asio

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Example

server srv(8080);

while (srv.running) {
    std::pair<std::string, data> msg;
    while (srv.popMessage(msg)) {
        // Process message
    }
}

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Notes

• SAFE packets are retransmitted until acknowledged
• Client connections are stateless (UDP-based)
• Max packet size: 1024 bytes