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Comparing AnyEvent/lib/AnyEvent.pm (file contents):
Revision 1.76 by root, Fri Apr 25 08:41:38 2008 UTC vs.
Revision 1.81 by root, Fri Apr 25 13:05:17 2008 UTC

80module. 80module.
81 81
82During the first call of any watcher-creation method, the module tries 82During the first call of any watcher-creation method, the module tries
83to detect the currently loaded event loop by probing whether one of the 83to detect the currently loaded event loop by probing whether one of the
84following modules is already loaded: L<Coro::EV>, L<Coro::Event>, L<EV>, 84following modules is already loaded: L<Coro::EV>, L<Coro::Event>, L<EV>,
85L<Event>, L<Glib>, L<Tk>, L<AnyEvent::Impl::Perl>, L<Event::Lib>, L<Qt>, 85L<Event>, L<Glib>, L<AnyEvent::Impl::Perl>, L<Tk>, L<Event::Lib>, L<Qt>,
86L<POE>. The first one found is used. If none are found, the module tries 86L<POE>. The first one found is used. If none are found, the module tries
87to load these modules (excluding Event::Lib, Qt and POE as the pure perl 87to load these modules (excluding Tk, Event::Lib, Qt and POE as the pure perl
88adaptor should always succeed) in the order given. The first one that can 88adaptor should always succeed) in the order given. The first one that can
89be successfully loaded will be used. If, after this, still none could be 89be successfully loaded will be used. If, after this, still none could be
90found, AnyEvent will fall back to a pure-perl event loop, which is not 90found, AnyEvent will fall back to a pure-perl event loop, which is not
91very efficient, but should work everywhere. 91very efficient, but should work everywhere.
92 92
136 136
137Note that C<my $w; $w => combination. This is necessary because in Perl, 137Note that C<my $w; $w => combination. This is necessary because in Perl,
138my variables are only visible after the statement in which they are 138my variables are only visible after the statement in which they are
139declared. 139declared.
140 140
141=head2 IO WATCHERS 141=head2 I/O WATCHERS
142 142
143You can create an I/O watcher by calling the C<< AnyEvent->io >> method 143You can create an I/O watcher by calling the C<< AnyEvent->io >> method
144with the following mandatory key-value pairs as arguments: 144with the following mandatory key-value pairs as arguments:
145 145
146C<fh> the Perl I<file handle> (I<not> file descriptor) to watch for 146C<fh> the Perl I<file handle> (I<not> file descriptor) to watch for
359 AnyEvent::Impl::CoroEV based on Coro::EV, best choice. 359 AnyEvent::Impl::CoroEV based on Coro::EV, best choice.
360 AnyEvent::Impl::CoroEvent based on Coro::Event, second best choice. 360 AnyEvent::Impl::CoroEvent based on Coro::Event, second best choice.
361 AnyEvent::Impl::EV based on EV (an interface to libev, best choice). 361 AnyEvent::Impl::EV based on EV (an interface to libev, best choice).
362 AnyEvent::Impl::Event based on Event, second best choice. 362 AnyEvent::Impl::Event based on Event, second best choice.
363 AnyEvent::Impl::Glib based on Glib, third-best choice. 363 AnyEvent::Impl::Glib based on Glib, third-best choice.
364 AnyEvent::Impl::Perl pure-perl implementation, inefficient but portable.
364 AnyEvent::Impl::Tk based on Tk, very bad choice. 365 AnyEvent::Impl::Tk based on Tk, very bad choice.
365 AnyEvent::Impl::Perl pure-perl implementation, inefficient but portable.
366 AnyEvent::Impl::Qt based on Qt, cannot be autoprobed (see its docs). 366 AnyEvent::Impl::Qt based on Qt, cannot be autoprobed (see its docs).
367 AnyEvent::Impl::EventLib based on Event::Lib, leaks memory and worse. 367 AnyEvent::Impl::EventLib based on Event::Lib, leaks memory and worse.
368 AnyEvent::Impl::POE based on POE, not generic enough for full support. 368 AnyEvent::Impl::POE based on POE, not generic enough for full support.
369 369
370There is no support for WxWidgets, as WxWidgets has no support for 370There is no support for WxWidgets, as WxWidgets has no support for
706 706
707=back 707=back
708 708
709=head1 EXAMPLE PROGRAM 709=head1 EXAMPLE PROGRAM
710 710
711The following program uses an IO watcher to read data from STDIN, a timer 711The following program uses an I/O watcher to read data from STDIN, a timer
712to display a message once per second, and a condition variable to quit the 712to display a message once per second, and a condition variable to quit the
713program when the user enters quit: 713program when the user enters quit:
714 714
715 use AnyEvent; 715 use AnyEvent;
716 716
867 867
868To give you an idea of the performance and overheads that AnyEvent adds 868To give you an idea of the performance and overheads that AnyEvent adds
869over the event loops themselves (and to give you an impression of the 869over the event loops themselves (and to give you an impression of the
870speed of various event loops), here is a benchmark of various supported 870speed of various event loops), here is a benchmark of various supported
871event models natively and with anyevent. The benchmark creates a lot of 871event models natively and with anyevent. The benchmark creates a lot of
872timers (with a zero timeout) and io watchers (watching STDOUT, a pty, to 872timers (with a zero timeout) and I/O watchers (watching STDOUT, a pty, to
873become writable, which it is), lets them fire exactly once and destroys 873become writable, which it is), lets them fire exactly once and destroys
874them again. 874them again.
875
876Rewriting the benchmark to use many different sockets instead of using
877the same filehandle for all I/O watchers results in a much longer runtime
878(socket creation is expensive), but qualitatively the same figures, so it
879was not used.
875 880
876=head2 Explanation of the columns 881=head2 Explanation of the columns
877 882
878I<watcher> is the number of event watchers created/destroyed. Since 883I<watcher> is the number of event watchers created/destroyed. Since
879different event models feature vastly different performances, each event 884different event models feature vastly different performances, each event
916=head2 Discussion 921=head2 Discussion
917 922
918The benchmark does I<not> measure scalability of the event loop very 923The benchmark does I<not> measure scalability of the event loop very
919well. For example, a select-based event loop (such as the pure perl one) 924well. For example, a select-based event loop (such as the pure perl one)
920can never compete with an event loop that uses epoll when the number of 925can never compete with an event loop that uses epoll when the number of
921file descriptors grows high. In this benchmark, only a single filehandle 926file descriptors grows high. In this benchmark, all events become ready at
922is used (although some of the AnyEvent adaptors dup() its file descriptor 927the same time, so select/poll-based implementations get an unnatural speed
923to worka round bugs). 928boost.
924 929
925C<EV> is the sole leader regarding speed and memory use, which are both 930C<EV> is the sole leader regarding speed and memory use, which are both
926maximal/minimal, respectively. Even when going through AnyEvent, there are 931maximal/minimal, respectively. Even when going through AnyEvent, there are
927only two event loops that use slightly less memory (the C<Event> module 932only two event loops that use slightly less memory (the C<Event> module
928natively and the pure perl backend), and no faster event models, not even 933natively and the pure perl backend), and no faster event models, not even
929C<Event> natively. 934C<Event> natively.
930 935
931The pure perl implementation is hit in a few sweet spots (both the 936The pure perl implementation is hit in a few sweet spots (both the
932zero timeout and the use of a single fd hit optimisations in the perl 937zero timeout and the use of a single fd hit optimisations in the perl
933interpreter and the backend itself). Nevertheless tis shows that it 938interpreter and the backend itself, and all watchers become ready at the
934adds very little overhead in itself. Like any select-based backend its 939same time). Nevertheless this shows that it adds very little overhead in
935performance becomes really bad with lots of file descriptors, of course, 940itself. Like any select-based backend its performance becomes really bad
941with lots of file descriptors (and few of them active), of course, but
936but this was not subject of this benchmark. 942this was not subject of this benchmark.
937 943
938The C<Event> module has a relatively high setup and callback invocation cost, 944The C<Event> module has a relatively high setup and callback invocation cost,
939but overall scores on the third place. 945but overall scores on the third place.
940 946
941C<Glib>'s memory usage is quite a bit bit higher, but it features a 947C<Glib>'s memory usage is quite a bit bit higher, but it features a
956 962
957C<POE>, regardless of underlying event loop (wether using its pure perl 963C<POE>, regardless of underlying event loop (wether using its pure perl
958select-based backend or the Event module) shows abysmal performance and 964select-based backend or the Event module) shows abysmal performance and
959memory usage: Watchers use almost 30 times as much memory as EV watchers, 965memory usage: Watchers use almost 30 times as much memory as EV watchers,
960and 10 times as much memory as both Event or EV via AnyEvent. Watcher 966and 10 times as much memory as both Event or EV via AnyEvent. Watcher
961invocation is almost 700 times slower than with AnyEvent's pure perl 967invocation is almost 900 times slower than with AnyEvent's pure perl
962implementation. The design of the POE adaptor class in AnyEvent can not 968implementation. The design of the POE adaptor class in AnyEvent can not
963really account for this, as session creation overhead is small compared 969really account for this, as session creation overhead is small compared
964to execution of the state machine, which is coded pretty optimally within 970to execution of the state machine, which is coded pretty optimally within
965L<AnyEvent::Impl::POE>. POE simply seems to be abysmally slow. 971L<AnyEvent::Impl::POE>. POE simply seems to be abysmally slow.
966 972

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