Serc

Serc is a http server / c framework for building apis in c. It can also be used for serving static webpages.

Project Directory Description

• src for .c c source files
• inc for .h header files
• obj for .o intermediate object files
• lib for .a or .so libraries
• bin for .out binaries
• con for .con or .h configuration files
• pyt for .py python helper scripts
• share for .temp template file that python scripts like route.py will use

Serc enables you to

1. Route to your function for a http request for given http path and http method combination.
2. Host static content from all the files in the root folder.

The framework logic is segregated as

• /src/*.c are the source files
• /inc/*.h are their corresponding headers
• /con/*.h are the configuration header file used by the server
• /con/*.con are config files used for routing (.json files) or for internal server configuration
• /pyt/*.py are the several python sources which help you with building the switch case logic for your routings from the routing.con files
• /pyt/*.temp are the several templates for building the switch case routing logic (source and header files)(controller.h and distributer.c files)

Template application

• Template application as an illustration to use Serc framework can be found here

Setup instructions

Install dependencies :

• ConnMan
• HTTPparser

Download source code :

• git clone https://github.com/RohanVDvivedi/Serc.git

Build from source :

• cd Serc
• make clean all

Install from the build :

• sudo make install : This will install the library aswell as the static file server.
• Once you have installed from source, you may discard the build by make clean

Instructions for uninstalling library (and the static file server)

Uninstall :

• cd Serc
• sudo make uninstall

Usage instructions

usage as (static file) server

• serc or serc --root=. => this will start a http server hosting all files in your pwd
• serc --root=./public --port=8080 => this will start a http server on port 8080 to host all your files in ./public directory
• serc --root=./public --serve-dirs --port=8080 => this will also serve directories from the root path.
• serc --port=6900 --root=./public --ssl_cert_keys=./con/server => this will start a https server on port 6900 to host all your files in ./public directory, the public key and certificates will be "./con/server.crt" and private key will be "./con/server.key".

usage as framework

• create appropriate routing.con file (as described in the sample file in the con directory).
• and create appropriate controller files with functions with strict declaration signature as :
  • int controller(http_request_head* hrq, stream* strm, void* per_request_param, const void* server_param)
  • Here server_params is global to all the requests, while per_request_param is generated for each request.
  • Serc also supports Aspect Oriented PRogramming, by "before" and "after" handlers in the routing file.
  • controller returns a 1 value to close the current connection (i.e. for a parse error or read timeout).
• Create appropriate json entries, in your routing.con file, to specify routing information.
• do not forget to include appropriate public api headers as and when needed by your source, which includes
  • #include<http_server.h>
  • #include<http_client_set.h>
• Now the routing files need to be compiled to produce a distributer function (a huge switch case) in a distributer.c file, which will help the server to know how to route the request to your comroller.
  • route.py <routing_file_1.con> <routing_file_2.con> <routing_file_3.con> ...
• above step will create distributer.c file in your pwd
• Now, you must compile your source with this distributer.c file, simultaneously linking with serc library.
• More info
  • The distribute() function, has a quite similar function signature, to the signature required by the controller functions.
  • The distribute function is declared and called in the source code of the library, for every request head that gets parsed on any of the connections.
  • The route.py script reads your routing configuration file and generates a distributer function required to route to your controller functions, using a huge switch case statement.
  • And so you are required to compile this distributer functions, while linking with serc library, to produce appropriate binary of your application.
• don't forget to add "-lserc -lhttpparser -lconnman -lz -lssl -lcrypto -lboompar -lpthread -lcutlery" linker flag, while compiling your application