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Diffstat (limited to 'docs/guides/process')
-rw-r--r-- | docs/guides/process/ipc.md | 66 |
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diff --git a/docs/guides/process/ipc.md b/docs/guides/process/ipc.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..af029a524 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/guides/process/ipc.md @@ -0,0 +1,66 @@ +--- +name: Spawn a child process and communicate using IPC +--- + +Use [`Bun.spawn()`](/docs/api/spawn) to spawn a child process. When spawning a second `bun` process, you can open a direct inter-process communication (IPC) channel between the two processes. + +{%callout%} +**Note** — This API is only compatible with other `bun` processes. Use `process.execPath` to get a path to the currently running `bun` executable. +{%/callout%} + +```ts#parent.ts +const child = Bun.spawn(["bun", "child.ts"], { + ipc(message) { + /** + * The message received from the sub process + **/ + }, +}); +``` + +--- + +The parent process can send messages to the subprocess using the `.send()` method on the returned `Subprocess` instance. A reference to the sending subprocess is also available as the second argument in the `ipc` handler. + +```ts#parent.ts +const childProc = Bun.spawn(["bun", "child.ts"], { + ipc(message, childProc) { + /** + * The message received from the sub process + **/ + childProc.send("Respond to child") + }, +}); + +childProc.send("I am your father"); // The parent can send messages to the child as well +``` + +--- + +Meanwhile the child process can send messages to its parent using with `process.send()` and receive messages with `process.on("message")`. This is the same API used for `child_process.fork()` in Node.js. + +```ts#child.ts +process.send("Hello from child as string"); +process.send({ message: "Hello from child as object" }); + +process.on("message", (message) => { + // print message from parent + console.log(message); +}); +``` + +--- + +All messages are serialized using the JSC `serialize` API, which allows for the same set of [transferrable types](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Web_Workers_API/Transferable_objects) supported by `postMessage` and `structuredClone`, including strings, typed arrays, streams, and objects. + +```ts#child.ts +// send a string +process.send("Hello from child as string"); + +// send an object +process.send({ message: "Hello from child as object" }); +``` + +--- + +See [Docs > API > Child processes](/docs/api/spawn) for complete documentation. |