Programming with Remote Procedure Calls (RPC)

Remote Procedure Call programming

The RPC package provides a multi-level application programming interface for development of network applications using remote procedure calls.

At the simplified interface (the highest level), the package provides great transparency, but offers only limited control over the underlying communications mechanisms. Program development at the simplified interface can be rapid, and is directly supported by the rpcgen compiler -- a C-language code generator that supports remote procedure call program development.

NOTE: ``Generating XDR routines with rpcgen'' contains the complete source for a working RPC service: a remote directory listing service that uses rpcgen to generate XDR routines as well as client and server stubs. For most applications, rpcgen and its facilities are fully adequate and the detailed information in this section is not required.

Interfaces to lower levels of the RPC package provide increasing control over remote procedure call communications. Programs that exercise this control pay for the power in terms of greater complexity of code. Effective programming at the lower levels requires knowledge of computer network fundamentals.

In order of increasing control and complexity, these levels are called the ``Top level'', ``Intermediate level'', ``Expert level'' and ``Bottom level''.

This section is intended for programmers who wish to write network applications using remote procedure calls, and who want to use or understand the RPC mechanisms usually hidden by the rpcgen(1tcp) protocol compiler.