Stage 4: Linux Epoll

Overview

We have explored UDP and multithreading in the previous stage. We now move back to TCP as our transport layer protocol, and explore an alternative to multithreading to handle multiple connections, namely Linux Epoll. The tests done in this stage, ensures that the server behaves exactly the same as it did in the previous stage, even after moving to the new protocol stack.

Constraints to be followed

• The server is expected to run on port 8080
• Server should be able to accept an incoming TCP connection and properly handle any errors that might occur.
• Server should receive string and reverse it, while leaving any trailing \n intact.
  • eg: abcd\n should be reversed as dcba\n

Tests

Test 1: Single client - input output

This test ensures that the server runs as expected when a singular client is connected

testInput: "client sends a randomly generated string to the server"
expectedBehavior: "client receives reversed version of the input"

Test 2: Multiple clients to same port - input output

This test ensures that the server is able to handle multiple connections at once and verifies the response received by each of the client

testInput: "Connect multiple clients to server and sends unique string simultaneously"
expectedBehavior: "Each of the clients should receive reversed versions of their input"

Test 3: Error handling

In the current implementation of the server, there should be no inturruption in service when a singular client disconnects. This test ensures that previously connected clients, as well as new clients are able to connect, send to and receive from the server even after a client has diconnected

testInput: "client forcefully disconnects"
expectedBehavior: "Previous and new clients are able to send and receive output as expected"