# HIREDIS Hiredis is a minimalistic C client library for the [Redis](http://redis.io/) database. It is minimalistic because it just adds minimal support for the protocol, but at the same time it uses an high level printf-alike API in order to make it much higher level than otherwise suggested by its minimal code base and the lack of explicit bindings for every Redis command. Apart from supporting sending commands and receiving replies, it comes with a reply parser that is decoupled from the I/O layer. It is a stream parser designed for easy reusability, which can for instance be used in higher level language bindings for efficient reply parsing. Hiredis only supports the binary-safe Redis protocol, so you can use it with any Redis version >= 1.2.0. The library comes with multiple APIs. There is the *synchronous API*, the *asynchronous API* and the *reply parsing API*. ## UPGRADING Version 0.9.0 is a major overhaul of hiredis in every aspect. However, upgrading existing code using hiredis should not be a big pain. The key thing to keep in mind when upgrading is that hiredis >= 0.9.0 uses a `redisContext*` to keep state, in contrast to the stateless 0.0.1 that only has a file descriptor to work with. ## Synchronous API To consume the synchronous API, there are only a few function calls that need to be introduced: redisContext *redisConnect(const char *ip, int port); void *redisCommand(redisContext *c, const char *format, ...); void freeReplyObject(void *reply); ### Connecting The function `redisConnect` is used to create a so-called `redisContext`. The context is where Hiredis holds state for a connection. The `redisContext` struct has an integer `err` field that is non-zero when an the connection is in an error state. The field `errstr` will contain a string with a description of the error. More information on errors can be found in the **Errors** section. After trying to connect to Redis using `redisConnect` you should check the `err` field to see if establishing the connection was successful: redisContext *c = redisConnect("127.0.0.1", 6379); if (c->err) { printf("Error: %s\n", c->errstr); // handle error } ### Sending commands There are several ways to issue commands to Redis. The first that will be introduced is `redisCommand`. This function takes a format similar to printf. In the simplest form, it is used like this: reply = redisCommand(context, "SET foo bar"); The specifier `%s` interpolates a string in the command, and uses `strlen` to determine the length of the string: reply = redisCommand(context, "SET foo %s", value); When you need to pass binary safe strings in a command, the `%b` specifier can be used. Together with a pointer to the string, it requires a `size_t` length argument of the string: reply = redisCommand(context, "SET foo %b", value, valuelen); Internally, Hiredis splits the command in different arguments and will convert it to the protocol used to communicate with Redis. One or more spaces separates arguments, so you can use the specifiers anywhere in an argument: reply = redisCommand(context, "SET key:%s %s", myid, value); ### Using replies The return value of `redisCommand` holds a reply when the command was successfully executed. When an error occurs, the return value is `NULL` and the `err` field in the context will be set (see section on **Errors**). Once an error is returned the context cannot be reused and you should set up a new connection. The standard replies that `redisCommand` are of the type `redisReply`. The `type` field in the `redisReply` should be used to test what kind of reply was received: * **`REDIS_REPLY_STATUS`**: * The command replied with a status reply. The status string can be accessed using `reply->str`. The length of this string can be accessed using `reply->len`. * **`REDIS_REPLY_ERROR`**: * The command replied with an error. The error string can be accessed identical to `REDIS_REPLY_STATUS`. * **`REDIS_REPLY_INTEGER`**: * The command replied with an integer. The integer value can be accessed using the `reply->integer` field of type `long long`. * **`REDIS_REPLY_NIL`**: * The command replied with a **nil** object. There is no data to access. * **`REDIS_REPLY_STRING`**: * A bulk (string) reply. The value of the reply can be accessed using `reply->str`. The length of this string can be accessed using `reply->len`. * **`REDIS_REPLY_ARRAY`**: * A multi bulk reply. The number of elements in the multi bulk reply is stored in `reply->elements`. Every element in the multi bulk reply is a `redisReply` object as well and can be accessed via `reply->element[..index..]`. Redis may reply with nested arrays but this is fully supported. Replies should be freed using the `freeReplyObject()` function. Note that this function will take care of freeing sub-replies objects contained in arrays and nested arrays, so there is no need for the user to free the sub replies (it is actually harmful and will corrupt the memory). **Important:** the current version of hiredis (0.10.0) free's replies when the asynchronous API is used. This means you should not call `freeReplyObject` when you use this API. The reply is cleaned up by hiredis _after_ the callback returns. This behavior will probably change in future releases, so make sure to keep an eye on the changelog when upgrading (see issue #39). ### Cleaning up To disconnect and free the context the following function can be used: void redisFree(redisContext *c); This function immediately closes the socket and then free's the allocations done in creating the context. ### Sending commands (cont'd) Together with `redisCommand`, the function `redisCommandArgv` can be used to issue commands. It has the following prototype: void *redisCommandArgv(redisContext *c, int argc, const char **argv, const size_t *argvlen); It takes the number of arguments `argc`, an array of strings `argv` and the lengths of the arguments `argvlen`. For convenience, `argvlen` may be set to `NULL` and the function will use `strlen(3)` on every argument to determine its length. Obviously, when any of the arguments need to be binary safe, the entire array of lengths `argvlen` should be provided. The return value has the same semantic as `redisCommand`. ### Pipelining To explain how Hiredis supports pipelining in a blocking connection, there needs to be understanding of the internal execution flow. When any of the functions in the `redisCommand` family is called, Hiredis first formats the command according to the Redis protocol. The formatted command is then put in the output buffer of the context. This output buffer is dynamic, so it can hold any number of commands. After the command is put in the output buffer, `redisGetReply` is called. This function has the following two execution paths: 1. The input buffer is non-empty: * Try to parse a single reply from the input buffer and return it * If no reply could be parsed, continue at *2* 2. The input buffer is empty: * Write the **entire** output buffer to the socket * Read from the socket until a single reply could be parsed The function `redisGetReply` is exported as part of the Hiredis API and can be used when a reply is expected on the socket. To pipeline commands, the only things that needs to be done is filling up the output buffer. For this cause, two commands can be used that are identical to the `redisCommand` family, apart from not returning a reply: void redisAppendCommand(redisContext *c, const char *format, ...); void redisAppendCommandArgv(redisContext *c, int argc, const char **argv, const size_t *argvlen); After calling either function one or more times, `redisGetReply` can be used to receive the subsequent replies. The return value for this function is either `REDIS_OK` or `REDIS_ERR`, where the latter means an error occurred while reading a reply. Just as with the other commands, the `err` field in the context can be used to find out what the cause of this error is. The following examples shows a simple pipeline (resulting in only a single call to `write(2)` and a single call to `read(2)`): redisReply *reply; redisAppendCommand(context,"SET foo bar"); redisAppendCommand(context,"GET foo"); redisGetReply(context,&reply); // reply for SET freeReplyObject(reply); redisGetReply(context,&reply); // reply for GET freeReplyObject(reply); This API can also be used to implement a blocking subscriber: reply = redisCommand(context,"SUBSCRIBE foo"); freeReplyObject(reply); while(redisGetReply(context,&reply) == REDIS_OK) { // consume message freeReplyObject(reply); } ### Errors When a function call is not successful, depending on the function either `NULL` or `REDIS_ERR` is returned. The `err` field inside the context will be non-zero and set to one of the following constants: * **`REDIS_ERR_IO`**: There was an I/O error while creating the connection, trying to write to the socket or read from the socket. If you included `errno.h` in your application, you can use the global `errno` variable to find out what is wrong. * **`REDIS_ERR_EOF`**: The server closed the connection which resulted in an empty read. * **`REDIS_ERR_PROTOCOL`**: There was an error while parsing the protocol. * **`REDIS_ERR_OTHER`**: Any other error. Currently, it is only used when a specified hostname to connect to cannot be resolved. In every case, the `errstr` field in the context will be set to hold a string representation of the error. ## Asynchronous API Hiredis comes with an asynchronous API that works easily with any event library. Examples are bundled that show using Hiredis with [libev](http://software.schmorp.de/pkg/libev.html) and [libevent](http://monkey.org/~provos/libevent/). ### Connecting The function `redisAsyncConnect` can be used to establish a non-blocking connection to Redis. It returns a pointer to the newly created `redisAsyncContext` struct. The `err` field should be checked after creation to see if there were errors creating the connection. Because the connection that will be created is non-blocking, the kernel is not able to instantly return if the specified host and port is able to accept a connection. redisAsyncContext *c = redisAsyncConnect("127.0.0.1", 6379); if (c->err) { printf("Error: %s\n", c->errstr); // handle error } The asynchronous context can hold a disconnect callback function that is called when the connection is disconnected (either because of an error or per user request). This function should have the following prototype: void(const redisAsyncContext *c, int status); On a disconnect, the `status` argument is set to `REDIS_OK` when disconnection was initiated by the user, or `REDIS_ERR` when the disconnection was caused by an error. When it is `REDIS_ERR`, the `err` field in the context can be accessed to find out the cause of the error. The context object is always free'd after the disconnect callback fired. When a reconnect is needed, the disconnect callback is a good point to do so. Setting the disconnect callback can only be done once per context. For subsequent calls it will return `REDIS_ERR`. The function to set the disconnect callback has the following prototype: int redisAsyncSetDisconnectCallback(redisAsyncContext *ac, redisDisconnectCallback *fn); ### Sending commands and their callbacks In an asynchronous context, commands are automatically pipelined due to the nature of an event loop. Therefore, unlike the synchronous API, there is only a single way to send commands. Because commands are sent to Redis asynchronously, issuing a command requires a callback function that is called when the reply is received. Reply callbacks should have the following prototype: void(redisAsyncContext *c, void *reply, void *privdata); The `privdata` argument can be used to curry arbitrary data to the callback from the point where the command is initially queued for execution. The functions that can be used to issue commands in an asynchronous context are: int redisAsyncCommand( redisAsyncContext *ac, redisCallbackFn *fn, void *privdata, const char *format, ...); int redisAsyncCommandArgv( redisAsyncContext *ac, redisCallbackFn *fn, void *privdata, int argc, const char **argv, const size_t *argvlen); Both functions work like their blocking counterparts. The return value is `REDIS_OK` when the command was successfully added to the output buffer and `REDIS_ERR` otherwise. Example: when the connection is being disconnected per user-request, no new commands may be added to the output buffer and `REDIS_ERR` is returned on calls to the `redisAsyncCommand` family. If the reply for a command with a `NULL` callback is read, it is immediately free'd. When the callback for a command is non-`NULL`, the memory is free'd immediately following the callback: the reply is only valid for the duration of the callback. All pending callbacks are called with a `NULL` reply when the context encountered an error. ### Disconnecting An asynchronous connection can be terminated using: void redisAsyncDisconnect(redisAsyncContext *ac); When this function is called, the connection is **not** immediately terminated. Instead, new commands are no longer accepted and the connection is only terminated when all pending commands have been written to the socket, their respective replies have been read and their respective callbacks have been executed. After this, the disconnection callback is executed with the `REDIS_OK` status and the context object is free'd. ### Hooking it up to event library *X* There are a few hooks that need to be set on the context object after it is created. See the `adapters/` directory for bindings to *libev* and *libevent*. ## Reply parsing API Hiredis comes with a reply parsing API that makes it easy for writing higher level language bindings. The reply parsing API consists of the following functions: redisReader *redisReaderCreate(void); void redisReaderFree(redisReader *reader); int redisReaderFeed(redisReader *reader, const char *buf, size_t len); int redisReaderGetReply(redisReader *reader, void **reply); ### Usage The function `redisReaderCreate` creates a `redisReader` structure that holds a buffer with unparsed data and state for the protocol parser. Incoming data -- most likely from a socket -- can be placed in the internal buffer of the `redisReader` using `redisReaderFeed`. This function will make a copy of the buffer pointed to by `buf` for `len` bytes. This data is parsed when `redisReaderGetReply` is called. This function returns an integer status and a reply object (as described above) via `void **reply`. The returned status can be either `REDIS_OK` or `REDIS_ERR`, where the latter means something went wrong (either a protocol error, or an out of memory error). ### Customizing replies The function `redisReaderGetReply` creates `redisReply` and makes the function argument `reply` point to the created `redisReply` variable. For instance, if the response of type `REDIS_REPLY_STATUS` then the `str` field of `redisReply` will hold the status as a vanilla C string. However, the functions that are responsible for creating instances of the `redisReply` can be customized by setting the `fn` field on the `redisReader` struct. This should be done immediately after creating the `redisReader`. For example, [hiredis-rb](https://github.com/pietern/hiredis-rb/blob/master/ext/hiredis_ext/reader.c) uses customized reply object functions to create Ruby objects. ## AUTHORS Hiredis was written by Salvatore Sanfilippo (antirez at gmail) and Pieter Noordhuis (pcnoordhuis at gmail) and is released under the BSD license.