Menu
I'm getting started on socket programming, and I keep seeing this AF_INET.
Yet, I've never seen anything else used in its place. My lecturers are not that helpful and just say "You just need it".
So my questions:
AF_INET?
572
For the most part sticking with AF_INET for socket programming over a network is the safest option. Meaning, AF_INET refers to addresses from the internet, IP addresses specifically.
AF_INET refers to Address from the Internet and it requires a pair of (host, port) where the host can either be a URL of some particular website or its address and the port number is an integer.
AF_INET is the Internet address family for IPv4. SOCK_STREAM is the socket type for TCP, the protocol that will be used to transport messages in the network. The . bind() method is used to associate the socket with a specific network interface and port number: # echo-server.py # ... with socket.
SOCK_STREAM : Provides sequenced, two-way byte streams with a transmission mechanism for stream data. This socket type transmits data on a reliable basis, in order, and with out-of-band capabilities. In the UNIX domain [ AF_UNIX ], the SOCK_STREAM socket type works like a pipe.
AF_INET is an address family that is used to designate the type of addresses that your socket can communicate with (in this case, Internet Protocol v4 addresses). When you create a socket, you have to specify its address family, and then you can only use addresses of that type with the socket. The Linux kernel, for example, supports 29 other address families such as UNIX (AF_UNIX) sockets and IPX (AF_IPX), and also communications with IRDA and Bluetooth (AF_IRDA and AF_BLUETOOTH, but it is doubtful you'll use these at such a low level).
For the most part, sticking with AF_INET for socket programming over a network is the safest option. There is also AF_INET6 for Internet Protocol v6 addresses.
Hope this helps,
129
If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!
Donate Us With
