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Make self_connection_status callback stateless.
**What are we doing?**

We are moving towards stateless callbacks. This means that when registering a
callback, you no longer pass a user data pointer. Instead, you pass a user data
pointer to tox_iterate. This pointer is threaded through the code, passed to
each callback. The callback can modify the data pointed at. An extra indirection
will be needed if the pointer itself can change.

**Why?**

Currently, callbacks are registered with a user data pointer. This means the
library has N pointers for N different callbacks. These pointers need to be
managed by the client code. Managing the lifetime of the pointee can be
difficult. In C++, it takes special effort to ensure that the lifetime of user
data extends at least beyond the lifetime of the Tox instance. For other
languages, the situation is much worse. Java and other garbage collected
languages may move objects in memory, so the pointers are not stable. Tox4j goes
through a lot of effort to make the Java/Scala user experience a pleasant one by
keeping a global array of Tox+userdata on the C++ side, and communicating via
protobufs. A Haskell FFI would have to do similarly complex tricks.

Stateless callbacks ensure that a user data pointer only needs to live during a
single function call. This means that the user code (or language runtime) can
move the data around at will, as long as it sets the new location in the
callback.

**How?**

We are doing this change one callback at a time. After each callback, we ensure
that everything still works as expected. This means the toxcore change will
require 15 Pull Requests.
2016-08-17 14:57:20 +01:00
auto_tests Make self_connection_status callback stateless. 2016-08-17 14:57:20 +01:00
build Fix include paths 2016-01-01 20:28:48 -05:00
dist-build Removed unnecessary parameters 2014-08-25 10:00:09 +04:00
docs Update readme with tentative roadmap, removed old todo.md 2016-08-14 12:03:26 -07:00
m4 Build system now automatically enables epoll support in TCP server 2014-07-17 20:44:49 -04:00
other Make self_connection_status callback stateless. 2016-08-17 14:57:20 +01:00
super_donators Added my pixfile! 2015-12-12 20:40:57 +01:00
testing Make self_connection_status callback stateless. 2016-08-17 14:57:20 +01:00
toxav Add and use CMake build script 2016-08-12 01:13:11 +01:00
toxcore Make self_connection_status callback stateless. 2016-08-17 14:57:20 +01:00
toxdns Check code formatting on Travis. 2016-08-12 01:00:00 +01:00
toxencryptsave Check code formatting on Travis. 2016-08-12 01:00:00 +01:00
.gitignore Add and use CMake build script 2016-08-12 01:13:11 +01:00
.travis.yml Add "make install" step to Travis build. 2016-08-12 20:49:50 +02:00
autogen.sh Some configuration/build fixes, so building basicaly everything else than the library can be disabled 2013-10-07 02:01:16 +02:00
CMakeLists.txt Split toxcore into layers. 2016-08-16 17:36:18 +01:00
configure.ac Fixes. 2016-01-30 17:23:15 -05:00
COPYING Removed the unused autotools files 2015-10-05 15:18:55 -07:00
DONATORS If we receive a packet from a node we are searching for, ping it. 2015-12-08 15:43:03 -05:00
INSTALL.md updated git repo urls 2015-10-14 15:49:44 +05:30
libtoxav.pc.in Build system fixes. 2014-12-18 10:04:31 -05:00
libtoxcore.pc.in Build system fixes. 2014-12-18 10:04:31 -05:00
Makefile.am Fixed make dist. 2015-06-24 21:03:16 -04:00
README.md Update readme with tentative roadmap, removed old todo.md 2016-08-14 12:03:26 -07:00
tox.spec.in Add spec file for rpm generation 2015-03-04 00:35:25 +01:00

Project Tox


Current build status: Build Status Current Coverage: Coverage Status

Website | Wiki | Blog | FAQ | Binaries/Downloads | Clients | Compiling

IRC Channels: #tox@freenode, #toktok@freenode

Q&A:

What is Tox?

Tox is a fully encrypted, censor resistant, private, distributed network library with a focus on personal communications.

No, really, what's Tox?

It's a VERY secure Instant Messenger that supports Text, Audio/Video calls, group chats, audio group chats, and file transfers.

What are your goals with Tox?

We want Tox to be as simple as possible while remaining as secure as possible.

Toxcore Roadmap

This Roadmap is somewhat tentative, but should give you a good idea of where we're going, and where we've been.

Currently unsorted, the following is intended to function as a discussion guide to developers/contributors.

In Progress

  • 100% unit testing
  • Make toxcore stateless
  • Allow a single toxcore instance to handle multiple keypairs
  • Implement usable group chats
  • Improve A/V implementation
  • Multiple device support
  • Consistent naming scheme throughout toxcore

Done

  • Create Toxcore
  • Create DHT
  • Create Onion
  • Implement Crypto
  • Create Messenger

Documentation:

The Complex Stuff:

UDP vs. TCP

Tox must use UDP simply because hole punching with TCP is not as reliable. However, Tox does use TCP relays as a fallback if it encounters a firewall that prevents UDP hole punching.

Connecting & Communicating

Every peer is represented as a byte string (the public key [Tox ID] of the peer). By using torrent-style DHT, peers can find the IP of other peers by using their Tox ID. Once the IP is obtained, peers can initiate a secure connection with each other. Once the connection is made, peers can exchange messages, send files, start video chats, etc. using encrypted communications.