What is xrpc?

XRPC: Cross-Language Remote Procedure Call

XRPC stands for Cross-Language Remote Procedure Call. It's a system or framework designed to enable communication and interaction between software components or services written in different programming languages. This allows you to build distributed applications where various parts are implemented using the most suitable language for each specific task, regardless of whether those languages are compatible at a lower level.

Here's a breakdown of key aspects of XRPC:

• Interoperability: The primary goal of XRPC is to bridge the gap between disparate programming languages. This means a service written in Python can be seamlessly accessed and used by an application written in Java, Go, or any other supported language. (https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Interoperability)

• RPC Mechanism: XRPC leverages the Remote Procedure Call (RPC) paradigm. In RPC, a client application makes a function call on a remote server as if it were a local function call. The underlying system handles the complexities of network communication, data serialization, and deserialization. (https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Remote%20Procedure%20Call)

• Serialization/Deserialization: A crucial part of XRPC is handling data exchange between different languages. This involves serializing data (converting it into a format suitable for transmission) on the client side and deserializing it (converting it back to a usable format) on the server side. Common serialization formats used in XRPC include JSON, Protocol Buffers (protobuf), Apache Thrift, and MessagePack. (https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Serialization) & (https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Deserialization)

• Service Definition: XRPC systems often rely on an Interface Definition Language (IDL) or similar mechanism to define the structure of remote procedures, their parameters, and their return types. This allows clients and servers to understand the interface contract regardless of the underlying programming language. Examples include .proto files for Protocol Buffers and .thrift files for Apache Thrift. (https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Interface%20Definition%20Language)

• Transport Protocols: XRPC utilizes transport protocols to transmit data between client and server. Common transport protocols include HTTP, TCP, and gRPC's HTTP/2 based transport. (https://www.wikiwhat.page/kavramlar/Transport%20Protocols)

• Benefits of using XRPC:

  • Flexibility: Choose the best language for each component of your system.
  • Scalability: Easier to scale individual services independently.
  • Reusability: Existing services can be reused across different applications, regardless of their implementation language.
  • Maintainability: Code becomes easier to maintain as concerns are more distinctly separated between services.

• Examples: gRPC, Apache Thrift, and similar technologies fall under the broad umbrella of XRPC solutions.