The master-slave Reactor model is a proven architecture for building high-performance network servers. This article explores its implementation in C++, focusing on event demultiplexing, thread pool management, and HTTP protocol parsing. The design separates I/O handling from business logic, enabling scalable and efficient server applications. Key considerations include minimizing lock contention, optimizing epoll usage, and handling partial reads/writes. For developers building custom network stacks or HTTP servers, this pattern offers a solid foundation. The article also discusses performance benchmarks and common pitfalls, such as thundering herd problems and connection starvation. While the code examples are detailed, the architectural insights are the primary value for experienced engineers.
This article presents a comprehensive implementation of a high-performance C++ network library and HTTP server based on the master-slave Reactor model. It covers event-driven architecture, thread pool design, and HTTP protocol handling, making it a valuable reference for systems programmers. The content is technically deep and evergreen, though it may include extensive code snippets that raise copyright concerns.