NAME

afb-binder - Application Framework Binder

SYNOPSIS

afb-binder [<options>...]

DESCRIPTION

The program afb-binder, often called the binder, has 3 main purposes:

1.

ensure security context for APIs provided by bindings

2.

connect APIs running on different instances

3.

enable HTML5 access to connected APIs

Bindings are shared object libraries dynamically loaded by the binder. These bindings when loaded are declaring API(s) that they provide.

API stands fo Application Programmer Interface. In the context of afb-binder, it represents a set of procedures linked to a same service.

An API groups named entries called verbs. A verb is a callable endpoint, a procedure for short: it receives data, process it, return a result.

The program afb-binder ensure the security context for these API and verbs. It tracks identity of callers and checks there rights and capabilities against the statically declared policy attached to verbs.

It provides the transport mechanism to connect instances of afb-binder, allowing one instance to call verbs of an other instance, providing an invisible RPC (Remote Procedure Call) secured framework for free.

afb-binder also easy export of callable verbs to HTML5 applications. But not only because it allows to build rich HTML5 applications by providing a simple but powerful HTTP server.

To achieve its goals, afb-binder must identify clients and assign them to client sessions indexed using a unique session identifier.

OPTIONS

Running

--background

Turn to run in background mode (synonym of --daemon)

--call CALLSPEC

Call a verb at start. This option can be repeated.

The format of CALLSPEC is API/VERB:JSONARG.

The effect is to cal the VERB of the API with the JSON value JSONARG as argument. This call is made after initialisation and before starting to serve.

Example: --call 'monitor/set:{"verbosity":{"api":"debug"}}'

--cntxtimeout TIMEOUT

Client Session Context Timeout in seconds [default 32000000 (means 370 days)]

-D, --daemon

Turn to run in background mode (synonym of --background)

-e, --exec COMMAND AND ARGS...

Execute the remaining arguments

This MUST be the last option.

The remaining arguments define a command that afb-binder will launch and run. afb-binder will stop when the launched command stops.

The sequences @p and @@ of the arguments are replaced with the port (see --port) and @.

--foreground

Turn to run in forground mode (this is the default mode)

-j, --jobs-max VALUE

Maximum count of jobs that can be queued. Value must be a positive integer.

-n, --name NAME

Set the visible name of the process for command ps. Also set the environment variable AFB_NAME.

--session-max COUNT

Max count of simultaneous sessions. Value must be a positive integer.

-o, --output FILENAME

Redirect stdout and stderr to output file of path FILENAME (useful when --daemon).

-T, --threads-init VALUE

Number of threads to start at the beginning.

-t, --threads-max VALUE

Maximum count of parallel threads held on. Value must be a positive integer.

-u, --uuid UUID

Set the session UUID of the binder, random by default.

Directories

--rootdir DIRECTORY

Root directory of the application. If the path is relative, it is given relative to the workdir as set by option --workdir. The default value is to use the workdir (same as --rootdir=.)

-w, --workdir DIRECTORY

Set the working directory. The working directory is the default directory of the program. By default, don't change of directory and use the current one.

Http service

--alias ALIAS

Install an HTTP alias for a specific directory. This option can be repeated.

The syntax is --alias=/PREF:DIR where /PREF is an absolute path (starting with a /) and DIR is either and absolute path or a path relative to the workdir.

The effect is that HTTP requests to URL of path /PREF/subpath served by files of subpath within the directory DIR.

Example: --alias=/icons:/usr/share/icons maps the content of /usr/share/icons within the subpath /icons.

--cache-eol TIMEOUT

Client cache end of live in seconds [default 100000 (means 27 hours)]

--https

Activates HTTPS

--https-cert FILE

Path to the file containing the certificate in PEM format to use for serving HTTPS

--https-key FILE

Path to the file containing the private key in PEM format to use for serving HTTPS

-i, --interface INTERFACE

Add HTTP listening interface. The format is SERVICE:HOST:PORT. (ex: tcp:localhost:8080)

--no-httpd

Forbid HTTP service: no file served and no API through websockets.

-p, --port PORT

HTTP listening TCP port. The default value is 1234. Setting the option --port=4545 is equivalent to set option --interface=tcp:0.0.0.0:4545 that listen to any interface at port 4545.

--rootapi PATH

HTTP Root API URL [default /api]

--rootbase PATH

Angular Base Root URL [default /opa]. This option is intended to serve One Page Applications.

The syntax is --rootbase=/PREF where /PREF is an absolute path (starting with a /).

The effect is that HTTP requests to URL of path /PREF/subpath are redirected to /PREF/#!subpath if it can not be satisfied normally.

--roothttp DIRECTORY

Root directory for serving files through HTTP. If the path is relative, it is given relative to the workdir as set by option --workdir. If not set, the default is to not serve files through HTTP but to serve API through websocket connections.

-u, --uploaddir DIRECTORY

Directory for uploading files through HTTP POST methods. If the path is relative, it is given relative to the workdir as set by option --workdir. The default value is to use the workdir (same as --uploaddir=.)

Bindings and APIs

--apitimeout TIMEOUT

Binding API timeout in seconds [default 20]

Defines how many seconds maximum a verb is allowed to run before raising an error. 0 means no limit.

-A, --auto-api DIRECTORY

Automatic activation of APIs found in the given DIRECTORY when an API api is missing.

Since afb-binder 5.0.3, DIRECTORY can be prefixed with an exportation specification. See discussion on EXPORT.

-b, --binding BINDINGSPEC

Load the binding as described by BINDINGSPEC.

BINDINGSPEC can be as simple as a path to the library implementing the binding.

In its full version, BINDINGSPEC is made of the following parts:

		[EXPORT]PATH[:[UID:]CONFIG]

Where:

·

PATH is the path path to the library implementing the binding

·

EXPORT (since 5.0.3, optional) tells how to export APIs of the binder, see discussion on EXPORT

·

CONFIG (optional) is the path to a file holding configuration data for the binding

·

UID (optional) if given, its value can be read by the binding for its setting up (example: use one config for N specialization selected by UID value)

--ldpaths PATHSET

Load bindings found from paths given in PATHSET, separated by colons. Path to files must point bindings. Path to directories are scanned recursively to discover bindings.

The format is --ldpaths=dir1:dir2:binding1.so:.... You can mix path to directories and to bindings. The sub-directories of the given directories are searched recursively.

The bindings are the files terminated by '.so' (the extension so denotes shared object) that contain the public entry symbol.

If any found binding fails to load, afb-binder will report the error and stop.

Since afb-binder 5.0.3, PATHSET can be prefixed with an exportation specification. See discussion on EXPORT.

--weak-ldpaths PATHSET

Same as --ldpaths but if a binding fails to load, an error is reported but afb-binder will continue instead of stopping.

Since afb-binder 5.0.3, PATHSET can be prefixed with an exportation specification. See discussion on EXPORT.

--ws-client SOCKSPEC

Bind an external API through WSAPI connection.

See discussion on WS/RPC-API.

Since afb-binder 5.0.3, SOCKSPEC can be prefixed with an exportation specification. See discussion on EXPORT.

--ws-server SOCKSPEC

Provide (Export) an API through WSAPI connection.

See discussion on WS/RPC-API.

--ws-maxlen LENGTH

Set the maximum length of a websocket packet

--rpc-client SOCKSPEC

Bind an external API through RPCAPI connection.

See discussion on WS/RPC-API.

Since afb-binder 5.0.3, SOCKSPEC can be prefixed with an exportation specification. See discussion on EXPORT.

--rpc-server SOCKSPEC

Provide (Export) an API through RPCAPI connection.

See discussion on WS/RPC-API.

Extensions

-x, --extension FILENAME

Load the extension of path FILENAME.

-X, --extpaths PATHSET

Load extensions from dir1:dir2:...

The format is --extpaths=dir1:dir2:... where directories are separated by colons.

If any found extension fails to activate, afb-binder will report the error and stop.

Configuration

-C, --config FILENAME

Load options from the given config file.

The loaded options are loaded early in the process of scanning options. Then if later options are set, it overrides the options loaded from the file.

This option can be repeated. The differents configuration files loaded complete one an other if not overlapping. Otherwise, the effect depends on the value of the parameter. Arrays and dictionaries are merged but integral values are replaced.

See discussion below.

-s, --set VALUE

Set parameters values for APIs. The value can be of the form [API]/[KEY]:JSON or {"API":{"KEY":JSON},...}

See discussion below.

-Z, --dump-config

Output before expansion a JSON representation of the configuration resulting from environment and options. Then exits.

-z, --dump-final-config

Output after expansion a JSON representation of the configuration resulting from environment and options. Then exits.

Verbosity and log

These options control the logging output of the binder. By default, the logging level is set as if the option --log=error,warning were entered.

-c, --color

Enforce colorization of the output

-l, --log LOGSPEC

Tune log level

Tune the log level mask. The levels are:

·

error

·

warning

·

notice

·

info

·

debug

The level can be set using prefixes:

·

+ for adding

·

- for removing

·

@ for setting until

When no prefix is given at first, all is removed before adding log levels as if + where specified.

Examples	Description
error,warning	selects only the levels error and warning
+debug	adds level debug to the current verbosity
-warning	remove the level warning from the current verbosity
+warning-debug,info	Adds warning and removes debug and info
@warning	Adds error, warning, notice, info, debug

-q, --quiet

Decreases the verbosity, can be repeated

-v, --verbose

Increases the verbosity, can be repeated

Debugging

-M, --monitoring

Enable HTTP monitoring at URL /monitoring

--traceapi VALUE

Log internal api calls. Commonly used values are: none, common, api, event, all.

--traceevt VALUE

Log internal event calls. Commonly used values are: none, common, extra, all

--traceglob VALUE

Log internal global calls. Commonly used values are: none, all

--tracereq VALUE

Log internal request calls. Commonly used values are: none, common, extra, all

--traceses VALUE

Log internal session calls. Commonly used values are: none, all

--trap-faults VALUE

Indicates that faults are to be trapped or not. VALUE can be on, off, yes, no, true (default), false, 1 or 0

The default is to trap faults (SIGSEGV, SIGABRT, SIGFPE) and to try to recover. But it could be difficult to debug and recover is sometimes hazardous.

-F, --fail

Shortcut for --trap-faults=no

Usage and help

-?, --help

Prints help with available options

--usage

Give a short usage message

-V, --version

Print program version and copyright

ENVIRONMENT

Environment variables can be used to set some options or behaviours. Also, the binder defines some variables that can be used by loaded bindings or chilren programs.

Variables for setting options

These environment variables are giving a value to their corresponding option. For some of it, giving the option in the command line override the value of the environment variable, while for some other, giving the option on the command line extend the list of values for the option.

variable	option	behaviour
AFB_TRACEREQ	--tracereq	override
AFB_TRACEEVT	--traceevt	override
AFB_TRACESES	--traceses	override
AFB_TRACEAPI	--traceapi	override
AFB_TRACEGLOB	--traceglob	override
AFB_TRAP_FAULTS	--trap-faults	override
AFB_SET_PORT	--port	override
AFB_HTTPS	--https	override
AFB_HTTPS_CERT	--https-cert	override
AFB_HTTPS_KEY	--https-key	override
AFB_LDPATHS	--ldpaths	extend
AFB_WEAK_LDPATHS	--weak-ldpaths	extend
AFB_EXTPATHS	--extpaths	extend
AFB_SET	--set	extend
AFB_LOG	--log	mixed

Variables for extra behaviour

These variables are checked by the binder on start. They have no option counter part.

AFB_BINDER_WELL_KNOWN_DIR

Set an alternate well-known directory. More or less equivalent to the option --alias=/.well-known:${AFB_BINDER_WELL_KNOWN_DIR}

AFB_BINDER_DOWNLOAD_DIR

Set an alternate download directory. More or less equivalent to the option --alias=/download:${AFB_BINDER_DOWNLOAD_DIR}

AFB_HTTPS_PREFIX

Directory where are searched the https key and certificate. Default is /etc/afb/.https

Variables defined by the binder

These variables are defined by the binder and can be used by bindings and children processes.

AFB_PORT

Export the listening HTTP port of the binder.

AFB_WORKDIR

The workdir of the binder.

AFB_ROOTDIR

The root directory where the application is installed.

AFB_NAME

The name of the binder if set using option --name.

DISCUSSIONS

Configuration

The option --config can be used instead of arguments on the command line.

That option accepts a filename that is read. The read options are not taking precedence over options given in the command line.

The files terminated by the extensions `.json` or `.jso` are supposed to be JSON formatted files with allowed C/C++ comments. Other files (with other extensions) are supposed to be YAML formatted files. (Note that before version 5.1.3, only JSON files were supported).

Example:

	afb-binder 
		--binding /home/15646/bindings/binding45.so 
		--binding /home/15646/bindings/binding3.so 
		--tracereq common 
		--port 5555 
		--set api45/key:54027a5e3c6cb2ca5ddb97679ce32f185b067b0a557d16a8333758910bc25a72 
		--exec /home/15646/bin/test654 @p

is equivalent to:

	afb-binder --config /home/15646/config1

when the file /home/15646/config1 is:

	{
	  "binding": [
	    "/home/15646/bindings/binding45.so",
	    "/home/15646/bindings/binding3.so"
	  ],
	  "tracereq": "common",
	  "port": 5555,
	  "set" : {
	    "api45": {
	      "key": "54027a5e3c6cb2ca5ddb97679ce32f185b067b0a557d16a8333758910bc25a72"
	    }
	  },
	  "exec": [
	    "/home/15646/bin/test654",
	    "@p"
	  ]
	}

The option --set can be used to set values for specific APIs. The set value can have different formats.

The most generic format is {"API1":{"KEY1":VALUE,"KEY2":VALUE2,...},"API2":...}

This example set 2 keys for the api chook:

	afb-binder -Z --set '{"chook":{"account":"urn:chook:b2ca5ddb97679","delay":500}}'
	{
	   "set": {
	     "chook": {
	       "account": "urn:chook:b2ca5ddb97679",
	       "delay": 500
	     }
	   }
	 }

An other format is: [API]/[KEY]:VALUE. When API is omitted, it take the value "*". When KEY is ommitted, it take the value of "*".

The settings for the API * are globals and apply to all bindings.

The settings for the KEY * are mixing the value for the API.

The following examples are all setting the same values:

	afb-binder --set '{"chook":{"account":"urn:chook:b2ca5ddb97679","delay":500}}'
	afb-binder --set 'chook/*:{"account":"urn:chook:b2ca5ddb97679","delay":500}'
	afb-binder --set 'chook/:{"account":"urn:chook:b2ca5ddb97679","delay":500}'
	afb-binder --set 'chook/account:"urn:chook:b2ca5ddb97679"' --set chook/delay:500

WS/RPC-API, Connection of API

API can be exported using option --ws-server and imported using option --ws-client, allowing a service running on a binder instance (client) to consume the API provided by an other binder (server).

Starting with binder version 5.0.0 and above, API can also be exported with option --rpc-server and imported using the corresponding option --rpc-client. That new option use a protocol compatible with API v4 format and able to transmit binary data and types of data.

When connecting binders together, the unit of connection is the API.

The format of the specification SOCKSPEC is:

·

for TCP: tcp:host:port/api

·

for unix: unix:path/api

·

for abstract unix: unix:@name/api or unix:@api

·

for systemd activated: sd:api

It is possible, especially for unix connections to set the import API name using the query like pattern ?as-api=name, as below:

unix:path/come-api-name?as-api=name

Example of connecting the API foo with the name bar using abstract unix socket:

·

on server: --ws-server=unix:@foo

·

on client: --ws-client=unix:@foo?as-api=bar

Since libafb 5.3.0, a prefix tls+ can be added at the front of TCP SOCKSPEC to enable mTLS encryption (currently only available for RPC connections). Since libafb 5.4.0, the `tls+` prefix enables traditional TLS only, and the prefix