Core Library¶
Introduction¶
libhicn provides a support library coded in C designed to help developers embed Hybrid ICN (hICN) functionalities in their applications (eg. forwarder, socket API, etc.). Its purpose is to follow the hICN specification for which it provides a reference implementation, abstracting the user from all internal mechanisms, and offering an API independent of the packet format (eg. IPv4 or IPv6). The library is designed to be portable across both desktop and mobile platforms, and we currently aim at supporting Linux, Android, OSX and iOS, by writing the necessary adapters to realize hICN functionality in userspace according to the available APIs and permissions that each system offers.
The library consists in several layers:
the core library (hicn.h) provides a standard hICN packet format, as well as an API allowing manipulation of packet headers;
an hICN helper, allowing an hICN stack to be built in userspace in a portable way, based on TUN devices and accessible though file descriptors;
a network layer allow the sending an receiving of hICN packets on those file descriptors, implementing both source and destination address translation as required by the hICN mechanisms;
finally, a “transport” API allows the forging of dummy interest and data packets.
A commandline interface (hicnc) is also provided that uses the library and can for instance be used as a test traffic generator. This interface can be run as either a consumer, a producer, or a simple forwarder.
Directory Layout¶
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+-- CMakeLists.txt CMkake global build file
+-- doc Package documentation
+-- README.md This file
+-- src
| +-- base.h Base definitions for hICN implementation
| +-- CMakeLists.txt CMake library build file
| +-- common.{h,c} Harmonization layer across supported platforms
| +-- compat.{h,c} Compatibility layer for former API
| +-- error.{h,c} Error management files
| +-- header.h hICN header definitions
| +-- hicn.h Master include file
| +-- mapme.{h,c} MAP-Me : anchorless producer mobility mechanisms
| +-- name.{h,c} hICN naming conventions and name processing + IP helpers
| +-- ops.{h,c} Protocol-independent hICN operations
| +-- protocol/* Protocol headers + protocol-dependent implementations
| +-- protocol.h Common file for protocols