IPC Libraries
Some binary size numbers for existing network based solutions for IPC.
Note: A network based solution is needed for R3 because we need to communicate between a Wine client and the Linux host in some cases.
Also a portable solution for those esoteric platforms, so ideally raw work over libc.
Build Script
Build command for the solutions is
RUSTFLAGS="-C panic=abort -C lto=fat -C embed-bitcode=yes" cargo +nightly bloat -Z build-std=std,panic_abort -Z build-std-features=panic_immediate_abort --target x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu --profile profile
And the following Cargo.toml
# Profile Build
[profile.profile]
inherits = "release"
debug = true
codegen-units = 1
lto = true
strip = false # No stripping!!
# Optimized Release Build
[profile.release]
codegen-units = 1
lto = true
strip = true # Automatically strip symbols from the binary.
panic = "abort"
With an example specified, if available.
Use most slim example that talks client and server.
Use -C linker-plugin-lto when applicable.
ZeroMQ (libzmq Rust Bindings)
A simple client-server has 500kB of code when built with minimum size settings.
Automatic disqualification.
Also the cross-platform aspect is uncertain, for esoteric platforms without a guaranteed libc.
zmq.rs
Same as the native version above, builds to 1MiB by default, but could potentially been brought down easily to 300-400KB by removing regex, and some other minor things.
nanomsg-rs
Builds with around 154KB of code. Mostly native C code.
Requires setting 'bundled' feature.
Portability with esoteric platforms is uncertain.
rust_tcp_ipc
This is an ancient code base, so needed some fixing, as the built-in example was commented out and out of date.
Once the example is fixed, we get the following for both client and server:
ile .text Size Crate
2.0% 41.8% 37.8KiB std
2.0% 40.6% 36.7KiB core
0.6% 12.5% 11.3KiB [Unknown]
0.1% 2.5% 2.2KiB alloc
0.1% 1.2% 1.1KiB rust_tcp_ipc
4.8% 100.0% 90.4KiB .text section size, the file size is 1.8MiB
0.6% 12.5% 11.3KiB [Unknown] main
0.2% 4.8% 4.4KiB core core::ops::function::FnOnce::call_once{vtable.shim}
0.2% 4.7% 4.2KiB core <&T as core::fmt::Debug>::fmt
0.2% 4.3% 3.9KiB std std::sync::mpmc::Sender<T>::send
0.2% 3.5% 3.2KiB core core::ops::function::FnOnce::call_once{vtable.shim}
0.2% 3.4% 3.1KiB std std::sync::mpmc::Sender<T>::send
0.2% 3.2% 2.9KiB std std::sync::mpmc::Sender<T>::send
0.1% 2.9% 2.6KiB std <str as std::net::socket_addr::ToSocketAddrs>::to_socket_addrs
0.1% 2.6% 2.3KiB core <str as core::fmt::Debug>::fmt
0.1% 2.6% 2.3KiB core <&T as core::fmt::Display>::fmt
0.1% 2.0% 1.8KiB core core::ptr::drop_in_place<std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<reasonable_example::examp...
0.1% 1.9% 1.7KiB core core::fmt::Formatter::pad
0.1% 1.9% 1.7KiB core core::ptr::drop_in_place<std::sync::mpsc::Receiver<()>>
0.1% 1.9% 1.7KiB std std::sync::mpmc::list::Channel<T>::read
0.1% 1.7% 1.5KiB std std::sync::mpmc::zero::Channel<T>::send::{closure}
0.1% 1.6% 1.5KiB std std::sync::mpmc::Receiver<T>::try_recv
0.1% 1.6% 1.5KiB std std::sync::mpmc::zero::Channel<T>::send::{closure}
0.1% 1.6% 1.4KiB std std::sync::mpmc::zero::Channel<T>::send::{closure}
0.1% 1.5% 1.3KiB std? <std::sys_common::net::LookupHost as core::convert::TryFrom<(&str,u16)>>::tr...
0.1% 1.4% 1.3KiB std <std::io::stdio::StdoutLock as std::io::Write>::write_all
0.1% 1.2% 1.1KiB rust_tcp_ipc rust_tcp_ipc::protocol_buffer::ProtocolBuffer<P>::process_new_buffer
0.1% 1.2% 1.0KiB std std::sys::sync::once::futex::Once::call
0.1% 1.1% 999B core <core::net::socket_addr::SocketAddr as core::fmt::Debug>::fmt
0.0% 1.0% 960B std std::sync::mpmc::array::Channel<T>::send::{closure}
0.0% 1.0% 944B std std::sync::mpmc::list::Channel<T>::recv::{closure}
0.0% 1.0% 925B core core::net::parser::Parser::read_ipv4_addr
0.0% 1.0% 891B std std::sync::mpmc::list::Channel<T>::start_recv
0.0% 0.9% 815B core <core::str::pattern::CharSearcher as core::str::pattern::Searcher>::next_match
0.0% 0.8% 733B core core::fmt::Formatter::pad_integral
0.0% 0.8% 720B std std::sync::mpmc::zero::Channel<T>::disconnect
0.0% 0.8% 706B std std::io::stdio::_print
0.0% 0.7% 624B std std::sync::mpmc::waker::SyncWaker::notify
0.0% 0.6% 600B core <core::fmt::builders::PadAdapter as core::fmt::Write>::write_str
0.0% 0.6% 591B std std::io::buffered::bufwriter::BufWriter<W>::write_all_cold
0.0% 0.6% 566B core core::ptr::drop_in_place<rust_tcp_ipc::tcp_ipc::TcpIpc<reasonable_example::e...
0.0% 0.6% 566B core <&T as core::fmt::Debug>::fmt
0.0% 0.6% 543B std std::sync::mpmc::list::Channel<T>::recv
0.0% 0.6% 530B core core::fmt::write
0.0% 0.5% 508B core core::net::parser::Parser::read_number
0.0% 0.5% 499B core core::str::converts::from_utf8
0.0% 0.5% 494B core core::fmt::num::<impl core::fmt::Debug for i32>::fmt
0.0% 0.5% 484B core core::net::parser::Parser::read_ipv6_addr::read_groups
0.0% 0.5% 460B std std::thread::park_timeout
0.0% 0.5% 445B std std::sync::mpmc::waker::SyncWaker::disconnect
0.0% 0.5% 437B core core::ptr::drop_in_place<std::sync::mpsc::Sender<reasonable_example::example...
0.0% 0.5% 433B core core::ptr::drop_in_place<std::sync::mpsc::Sender<()>>
0.0% 0.5% 431B std std::sys::pal::unix::stack_overflow::imp::make_handler
0.0% 0.5% 427B core <core::str::lossy::Utf8Chunks as core::iter::traits::iterator::Iterator>::next
0.0% 0.5% 420B core <&T as core::fmt::Debug>::fmt
0.0% 0.4% 407B std std::sys::pal::unix::thread_local_dtor::register_dtor
0.0% 0.4% 386B std std::sys::pal::unix::thread::Thread::new
0.0% 0.4% 384B std std::sys::sync::once::futex::Once::call
0.0% 0.4% 369B std std::sys::pal::common::small_c_string::run_with_cstr_allocating
0.0% 0.4% 366B std std::sys::pal::unix::stack_overflow::imp::signal_handler
0.0% 0.4% 362B core <core::net::ip_addr::Ipv4Addr as core::fmt::Display>::fmt
0.0% 0.4% 360B std std::sys::sync::once::futex::Once::call
0.0% 0.4% 357B alloc alloc::raw_vec::finish_grow
0.0% 0.4% 355B core <&T as core::fmt::Debug>::fmt
0.0% 0.4% 354B core <&T as core::fmt::Debug>::fmt
0.0% 0.4% 336B std std::sys::sync::rwlock::futex::RwLock::read_contended
0.0% 0.4% 328B core core::fmt::builders::DebugTuple::field
0.0% 0.3% 322B core core::fmt::Write::write_char
0.0% 0.3% 307B std std::thread::park
0.0% 0.3% 292B alloc? <alloc::string::String as core::fmt::Write>::write_char
0.0% 0.3% 264B std std::env::_var_os
0.0% 0.3% 264B std? <std::io::Write::write_fmt::Adapter<T> as core::fmt::Write>::write_str
0.0% 0.3% 262B core core::fmt::Write::write_char
0.0% 0.3% 262B core core::fmt::num::imp::<impl core::fmt::Display for u32>::fmt
0.0% 0.3% 260B core <core::result::Result<T,E> as core::fmt::Debug>::fmt
0.0% 0.3% 259B alloc alloc::sync::Arc<T,A>::drop_slow
0.0% 0.3% 249B core core::fmt::Write::write_char
0.0% 0.3% 249B core core::fmt::Write::write_char
0.0% 0.3% 249B core core::fmt::Write::write_char
0.0% 0.3% 249B core core::fmt::Write::write_char
0.0% 0.3% 247B std std::sys::sync::mutex::futex::Mutex::lock_contended
0.0% 0.3% 239B core <&T as core::fmt::Debug>::fmt
0.0% 0.3% 238B std std::sync::mpmc::context::Context::new
0.0% 0.2% 228B core core::fmt::num::imp::<impl core::fmt::Display for u16>::fmt
0.0% 0.2% 217B std std::io::error::Error::kind
0.0% 0.2% 215B core core::fmt::Write::write_char
0.0% 0.2% 210B std std::sys::sync::rwlock::futex::RwLock::wake_writer_or_readers
0.0% 0.2% 189B std std::sys_common::thread_local_key::StaticKey::lazy_init
0.0% 0.2% 188B std std::sys_common::thread_local_dtor::register_dtor_fallback::run_dtors
0.0% 0.2% 185B std std::sys::pal::unix::time::Timespec::sub_timespec
0.0% 0.2% 170B alloc alloc::raw_vec::RawVec<T,A>::grow_one
0.0% 0.2% 168B std std::sys::pal::unix::thread::Thread::new::thread_start
0.0% 0.2% 168B std std::thread::set_current
0.0% 0.2% 166B core core::ptr::drop_in_place<core::result::Result<(reasonable_example::example_p...
0.0% 0.2% 163B std std::sys::pal::unix::weak::DlsymWeak<F>::initialize
0.0% 0.2% 163B core core::ptr::drop_in_place<std::sync::mpmc::waker::Waker>
0.0% 0.2% 158B std std::io::error::Error::new
0.0% 0.2% 155B alloc alloc::raw_vec::RawVec<T,A>::grow_one
0.0% 0.2% 150B std std::io::error::Error::new
0.0% 0.2% 150B std std::io::error::Error::new
0.0% 0.2% 149B alloc alloc::raw_vec::RawVec<T,A>::reserve::do_reserve_and_handle
0.0% 0.2% 147B std std::io::Write::write_fmt
0.0% 0.1% 137B core core::fmt::num::imp::<impl core::fmt::Display for u8>::fmt
0.0% 0.1% 137B alloc alloc::raw_vec::RawVec<T,A>::grow_one
0.0% 0.1% 134B std? <std::io::Write::write_fmt::Adapter<T> as core::fmt::Write>::write_str
0.0% 0.1% 134B alloc alloc::raw_vec::RawVec<T,A>::reserve::do_reserve_and_handle
0.1% 3.1% 2.8KiB And 55 smaller methods. Use -n N to show more.
4.8% 100.0% 90.4KiB .text section size, the file size is 1.8MiB
Getting good. Most of this is just monomorphisation and formatting, something like this can easily be stripped down, maybe down to even 20KiB.
The underlying network library mio is very portable and binds directly to libc.
message.io
File .text Size Crate Name
0.4% 11.5% 13.9KiB core core::ops::function::FnOnce::call_once{vtable.shim}
0.4% 10.6% 12.8KiB [Unknown] main
0.1% 2.5% 3.1KiB message_io <message_io::network::driver::Driver<R,L> as message_io::network::driver::EventProcessor>::process
0.1% 2.2% 2.6KiB multicast multicast::main::{closure}
0.1% 2.1% 2.5KiB alloc alloc::collections::btree::remove::<impl alloc::collections::btree::node::Handle<alloc::collections::btr...
0.1% 1.9% 2.3KiB message_io <message_io::network::driver::Driver<R,L> as message_io::network::driver::ActionController>::listen_with
0.1% 1.9% 2.3KiB alloc <<alloc::boxed::Box<dyn core::error::Error+core::marker::Send+core::marker::Sync> as core::convert::From...
0.1% 1.8% 2.2KiB hashbrown hashbrown::raw::RawTable<T,A>::reserve_rehash
0.1% 1.6% 2.0KiB message_io <message_io::network::driver::Driver<R,L> as message_io::network::driver::ActionController>::connect_with
0.1% 1.5% 1.9KiB message_io <message_io::network::driver::Driver<R,L> as message_io::network::driver::EventProcessor>::process
0.1% 1.4% 1.7KiB core core::fmt::Formatter::pad
0.1% 1.4% 1.7KiB crossbeam_channel crossbeam_channel::select::run_select::{closure}
0.1% 1.4% 1.7KiB message_io <message_io::network::driver::Driver<R,L> as message_io::network::driver::ActionController>::listen_with
0.1% 1.4% 1.6KiB core core::ptr::drop_in_place<crossbeam_channel::channel::Receiver<std::time::Instant>>
0.1% 1.3% 1.6KiB message_io message_io::network::transport::Transport::mount_adapter
0.1% 1.3% 1.6KiB core core::ptr::drop_in_place<message_io::events::EventReceiver<()>>
0.0% 1.3% 1.5KiB crossbeam_channel crossbeam_channel::flavors::list::Channel<T>::read
0.0% 1.2% 1.5KiB crossbeam_channel <crossbeam_channel::channel::Receiver<T> as crossbeam_channel::select::SelectHandle>::register
0.0% 1.2% 1.5KiB crossbeam_channel <crossbeam_channel::channel::Receiver<T> as crossbeam_channel::select::SelectHandle>::register
0.0% 1.2% 1.5KiB core core::ops::function::FnOnce::call_once{vtable.shim}
1.8% 47.8% 57.9KiB And 184 smaller methods. Use -n N to show more.
3.8% 100.0% 121.2KiB .text section size, the file size is 3.1MiB
The multicast example, with TCP (minor code edits required).
A bit too heavy, but this would be great for adding multiplayer to a game inside a mod.
Conclusion
Reloaded's IPC requirements are extremely minimal
But everything is way too overkill, either in functionality or in binary size.
Build your own TCP based IPC, with mio. It's the most portable and the smallest. We're talking extremely barebones, single thread per client, small stack