Python-- SocketServer
1. Introduction
Python provides a built-in module called SocketServer which allows us to create network servers. SocketServer is an easy-to-use framework for network server programming. It provides a set of classes that makes it simple to create network servers for both TCP and UDP protocols.
2. Getting Started
To start using SocketServer, you need to import the module first:
import SocketServer
SocketServer module provides a basic framework for creating server classes. You can create your own server class by subclassing one of the existing classes in the module.
There are three main categories of server classes provided by SocketServer module:
1. Simple Servers: These servers provide a basic implementation of a server, handling all the network communication and allowing you to focus on the logic of your application. The most commonly used simple server class is 'BaseServer'.
2. Threaded Servers: These servers use threads to handle multiple requests concurrently. They are useful in situations where the server needs to handle multiple connections simultaneously. The most commonly used threaded server classes are 'ThreadingMixIn' and 'TCPServer'.
3. Forking Servers: These servers use processes to handle multiple requests concurrently. They are useful in situations where the server needs to handle heavy loads and can benefit from parallel processing. The most commonly used forking server classes are 'ForkingMixIn' and 'TCPServer'.
3. Creating a Simple Server
To create a simple server, you need to subclass the 'BaseRequestHandler' class and override the 'handle' method. The 'handle' method is responsible for processing client requests. Here's an example:
import SocketServer
class MyServer(SocketServer.BaseRequestHandler):
def handle(self):
# Logic to process client requests
pass
server = SocketServer.TCPServer(('localhost', 8000), MyServer)
server.serve_forever()
In the above example, we created a server class called 'MyServer' by subclassing 'BaseRequestHandler'. We implemented the 'handle' method to process client requests. Finally, we created an instance of 'TCPServer' class and passed the server address and the server class to it. The 'serve_forever' method starts the server and listens for client requests.
4. Running the Server
To run the server, you simply need to execute the Python script. It will start the server and listen for incoming client connections on the specified address and port:
$ python server.py
5. Customizing the Server
You can further customize the server by overriding the methods of the server class. For example, you can override the 'setup' method to perform any setup tasks before the server starts, or override the 'finish' method to perform any cleanup tasks after the server stops:
import SocketServer
class MyServer(SocketServer.BaseRequestHandler):
def setup(self):
# Perform setup tasks
pass
def handle(self):
# Logic to process client requests
pass
def finish(self):
# Perform cleanup tasks
pass
server = SocketServer.TCPServer(('localhost', 8000), MyServer)
server.serve_forever()
By overriding these methods, you can add your own application-specific logic to the server.
6. Conclusion
Python's SocketServer module provides an easy-to-use framework for creating network servers. With just a few lines of code, you can create a server that handles client requests and allows you to focus on the logic of your application. Whether you need a simple server or a server that can handle heavy loads, SocketServer has got you covered.
Now that you have a basic understanding of SocketServer, you can start exploring more advanced topics such as handling multiple connections concurrently, implementing different protocols, and adding security features to your server.