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Add IPC documentation #97

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89 changes: 87 additions & 2 deletions docs/Deep Dive/Architecture/WebKit2.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -21,6 +21,91 @@ and it does not have direct access to the underlying operating system’s [clipb
microphone, or video camera even though there are Web APIs that grant access to those features.
Instead, UI process brokers such requests.

FIXME: How is IPC setup
## How is IPC Setup

FIXME: How to add / modify an IPC message
In WebKit, Inter-Process Communication (IPC) enables communication between different processes. The IPC setup in WebKit involves several key components:

### Message Definitions

Messages are defined in `*.messages.in` files (e.g., `WebPage.messages.in`). These files specify the structure and types of messages exchanged between processes. Each `*.messages.in` file must map to a header file with the same name (e.g., `WebPage.messages.in` maps to `WebPage.h`). These `*.messages.in` files are processed at build time to generate source code for receiving IPC messages. They support both synchronous and asynchronous messages.

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It would be better to pick some other interface than WebPage, WebPageProxy. They're the most complex of the classes, and also use the MessageSender, which is not advised.

There's no good examples, but IPCTester should be a simple one perhaps.

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I liked WebPage and WebPageProxy because I could use simple message examples like LoadURL that represent how APIs in the UI process (like WKWebView) control and interact with actual web processes. However, I understand the issue with MessageSender. I dont know if IPCTester is the best example, because its not clear where it gets its IPC::Connection object from - also, I would like to use an example class that is actually used for IPC in WebKit.

I dug around and found RemoteAudioSessionProxy - it inherits from MessageReceiver and owns an IPC::Connection object to send messages, is this the correct semantics? If so, Ill try to find another similar class that isnt so "niche" as RemoteAudioSessionProxy that uses the same semantics, but if not, ill just use it.

If this example still isnt good, and there is no other option, Ill use IPCTester as you mentioned, but ill need to figure out how to explain how its using IPC::Connection


### Message Handlers

Each process has message handlers that process incoming messages and perform the necessary actions. The message definitions in the `*.messages.in` file need to have corresponding implementations in the related class (e.g., `WebPage` implements handlers for the corresponding messages defined in `WebPage.messages.in`). The processing of the `*.messages.in` files during build time generates source code that maps a message definition to its corresponding handler implementation, which will automatically call it for you when that message is received. The message handlers must adhere to the correct function signatures specified in the `*.messages.in` files, otherwise you will get a build error.

### IPC::MessageSender and IPC::MessageReceiver

Classes that send or receive IPC messages typically inherit from `IPC::MessageSender` and `IPC::MessageReceiver`. These base classes automatically handle the serialization and deserialization of messages, as well as the setup of message dispatching.

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MessageSender should not be used in general, so it should not be documented.
What should be said is that messages are sent to the connection, with the receiver destination id.
For a given class, it is advised to add a helper send template to pass in the target object identifier as the destination id. If the connection only has one receiver of the type, the helper is not needed an zero destination can be used.


For a deeper dive, you can found WebKit's IPC code in the `Source/WebKit/Platform/IPC` directory. This directory contains the classes and utilities needed to manage IPC, including message sending and receiving, connection management, and the serialization and deserialization of messages.

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This probably could be rewritten and moved to either to the beginning or to the end.


## How to Add or Modify an IPC Message

Adding or modifying an IPC message in WebKit involves several steps to ensure proper communication between classes in different processes. Here is a step-by-step guide:

### 1. Define the Message

Locate the appropriate `*.messages.in` file (e.g., `WebPage.messages.in`). If a new message file is needed, it should be placed in the same directory as the class you are implementing it for and it should also be added to the directory's `Sources.txt` file, as mentioned [here](../Build/AddingNewFile.html).
Now, define the new message in this file. For example, let's say we want to send a message called `LoadURL` from the UI process' `WebPageProxy` class to the WebContent process' `WebPage` class. In `WebPage.messages.in`, you would add an entry like:

```
LoadURL(String url)
```

### 2. Implement the Message Handler

In the class that will receive the message (e.g., `WebPage`), implement the handler method. This method will be called when the message is received. For example:

```
void WebPage::loadURL(const String& url) {
// Implementation code to load the URL
}
```

### 3. Send the Message

To send the message from another process, use the `send` method of the `IPC::MessageSender` class. For example, to send the `LoadURL` message from the UI process' `WebPageProxy` class to the WebContent's `WebPage` class:

```
send(Messages::WebPage::LoadURL(url));
```

Note, `WebPageProxy` inherits from `IPC::MessageSender`, which is what makes this possible.

## Replying to Messages

In addition to sending messages, WebKit's IPC mechanism supports replying to messages, which can be done synchronously or asynchronously.

### 1. Define the Message Reply

In the definition of the message in the `*.messages.in` file, specify that it expects a reply. For example, in `WebPage.messages.in`:

```
GetTitle() -> (String title)
```

By default, the reply is handled asynchronously. In order to make it synchronous, add `Synchronous` after the message definition, for example:

```
GetTitle() -> (String title) Synchronous
```

### 2. Implement the Message Handler with Reply

Implement the handler method in the receiving class that will process the message and send a reply. For example, in the WebContent process' `WebPage.h`:

```
void WebPage::getTitle(CompletionHandler<void(String)>&& completionHandler) {
completionHandler(m_title);
}
```

### 3. Send the Asynchronous Message and Handle Reply

To send the asynchronous message and handle the reply, use the `sendWithAsyncReply` method of the `IPC::MessageSender` class. For example, in the UI process' `WebPageProxy.cpp`:

```
sendWithAsyncReply(Messages::WebPage::GetTitle(), [this, weakThis = WeakPtr { *this }](String title) {
// do something with title...
});
```