zmq-service-tools 0.25
Several tools for zmq services
License: MIT
Requires Python: >=3.6
Keywords: python

================================================
service_tools: tools for zmq services
================================================

Python library with several tools for zmq services.
With this library a server with multiple local or distributed workers can be created very easy.

Features:

* local and / or distributed workers and servers
* secure authentication with private / public keys
* automatic worker startup
* dynamic add or remove workers
* easy worker configuration for new tasks


Usage
-----

Imports:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^

.. code-block:: python

    import service_tools

Create Certificates:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Options:

* --path=<path_to_certificates>:    path where the certificates are generated
* --users=<user>: optional;         specify for which users a certificate is generated; available options are: all, server, client; default is client
* --overwrite=<overwrite>:          optional; if True overwrite existing directory. default is False


- create server certificate:

.. code-block:: python

    python3 generate_certificates.py --path=<path_to_certificates> users=server --overwrite=<overwrite>


- create user certificate:

.. code-block:: python

    python3 generate_certificates.py --path=<path_to_certificates> users=user --overwrite=<overwrite>



- create server and user certificate:

.. code-block:: python

    python3 generate_certificates.py --path=<path_to_certificates> users=all --overwrite=<overwrite>




Server
------

A server handles all client requests. The server deals the requests to connected workers which process
the request. Several workers can be connected to the server so that requests are computed parallel on
all workers.


Server config
^^^^^^^^^^^^^

A server is generated with a config file.

.. code-block:: python

    from service_tools import Server

    server_config_path = r'resources\server_config.ini'

    # create a new server object
    server = Server(config_path=server_config_path)

    # start the server
    server.start()


In the config file are the following informations:


id
  : uuid of the server


name
  : name of the server


ip
  : ip address of the server; Example \'localhost\', \'127.0.0.1\'


port
  : port of the server; Example: \'8006\', \'8007\' If no port is specified a free port between 6001 and 6050 is
  automatically chosen and written in the config file.


backend_port
  : backend_port of the server; Example: \'9006\', \'9007\' If no port is specified a free port between
  9001 and 9050 is automatically chosen and written in the config file.


public_keys_dir
  : path to public keys


secret_keys_dir
  : path to secret keys


num_workers
  : number of workers


auto_start
  : Bool if workers start automatically when server is started


worker_config_paths
  : list with paths to the worker config files. If only one worker_config_paths is defined but multiple wokers, this
  worker_config is copied and a new id for each worker is generated and written in the config


worker_script_path
  : path to script which is executed to start a worker; see also: Python script for automatic worker start


log_dir
  : directory where logs are created


logging_mode
  : logging mode\: \'DEBUG\' \'INFO\' \'WARN\' \'ERROR\'; see python logging


Example for server config:

.. code-block:: ini

    [main]
    id = 71c4810e-d0f7-4f06-aa50-2fa8b8cc4be2
    name = test server
    ip = localhost
    port = 8006
    backend_port = 9028
    public_keys_dir = resources\public_keys
    secret_keys_dir = resources\private_keys

    [workers]
    num_workers = 4
    auto_start = False
    worker_config_paths = ["resources\worker1_config.ini", "resources\worker2_config.ini"]
    worker_script_path = resources\test_start_worker.py

    [logging]
    log_dir = resources\logging_dir
    logging_mode = DEBUG


The server config file can also be generated by a method:

.. code-block:: python

    from service_tools.server import ServerConfig, Server

    new_server_config = ServerConfig.create_new(
        config_path=r'resources\config.ini',
        name='test server',
        ip='localhost',
        port=8006,
        public_keys_dir=r'resources\public_keys',
        secret_keys_dir=r'resources\private_keys',
        log_dir=r'resources\logging_dir',
        logging_mode='INFO',
        num_workers=4,
        auto_start=False,
        worker_config_paths=[r'resources\worker1_config.ini'],
        worker_script_path=r'resources\test_start_worker.py')

    # start the server with the new created server config
    server = Server(config_path=new_server_config.config_path)
    server.start()


Worker
------

Workers, like servers, are create with a config file:


.. code-block:: python

    from service_tools import Worker

    worker_config_path = r'resources\worker_config.ini'

    # create a new worker
    worker = Worker(config_path=server_config_path)

    # start the worker
    worker.start()


In the config file are the following information:


id
  : uuid of the worker


name
  : name of the worker


ip
  : ip address of the worker; Example \'localhost\', \'127.0.0.1\'


port
  : port of the worker; Example: \'9006\', \'9007\'


public_keys_dir
  : path to public keys; optional


secret_keys_dir
  : path to secret keys; optional


python_path
  : path to the python executable with which the worker should be started; optional


log_dir
  : directory where logs are created


logging_mode
  : logging mode\: \'DEBUG\' \'INFO\' \'WARN\' \'ERROR\'; see python logging



Example for worker config:

.. code-block:: ini

    [main]
    id = ee8ac862-ac8d-45eb-a056-effa21c00889
    name = test worker
    ip = localhost
    port = 9028
    public_keys_dir = None
    secret_keys_dir = None
    python_path =

    [logging]
    log_dir = resources\logging_dir
    logging_mode = INFO


The worker config file can also be generated by a method:

.. code-block:: python

    from service_tools.worker import WorkerConfig

    new_worker_config = WorkerConfig.create_new(
        config_path=r'resources\worker1_config.ini',
        name='test worker',
        ip=None,
        port=None,
        public_keys_dir=None,
        secret_keys_dir=None,
        log_dir=r'resources\logging_dir',
        logging_mode='INFO')

    # start the server with the new created server config
    worker = Worker(config_path=new_worker_config.config_path)
    worker.start()


Worker functionality
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Workers by default have no functionality. To add functionality create a class inherited from the Worker class. There
are many ways how functionality can be added.

One way ist to create a Message class:

.. code-block:: python

    class Message(object):

        def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):

            self.method = kwargs.get('method', None)
            self.args = kwargs.get('args', list())
            self.kwargs = kwargs.get('args', dict())



The client then sends a message with a method specified as string.
The worker receives the message and selects its method to execute with:

.. code-block:: python

    method = getattr(self, message.method)

This method is then executed with the args and kwargs in the message and the return value is returned to the client:

.. code-block:: python

    return(method(*message.args, **message.kwargs))


Example: create a worker with the functionality 'return_non_sense' which returns 'non sense'
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Worker:

.. code-block:: python

    from service_tools import Worker

    class ExtendedWorker(Worker):

        def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):

            Worker.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)

        def return_non_sense(self, *args, **kwargs):

            return 'non sense'


Client:

.. code-block:: python

    import zmq

    class Message(object):

        def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):

            self.method = kwargs.get('method', None)
            self.args = kwargs.get('args', list())
            self.kwargs = kwargs.get('args', dict())

    ctx = zmq.Context.instance()
    client = ctx.socket(zmq.REQ)

    client_public, client_secret = zmq.auth.load_certificate(
    r'resources\private_keys\5520471c-66c1-4605-80dc-a9ff84d959da.key_secret')
    server_public, _ = zmq.auth.load_certificate(
        r'resources\public_keys\server.key')
    client.curve_secretkey = client_secret
    client.curve_publickey = client_public
    client.curve_serverkey = server_public

    client.connect('tcp://localhost:8006')

    message = Message(method='return_non_sense')
    client.send_pyobj(message)
    return_value = client.recv_pyobj()


Python script for automatic worker start
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Here is a script which starts a worker when executed. The path to the config is given by --config_file argument.

.. code-block:: python

    from configparser import ConfigParser
    import argparse
    import os
    import uuid

    # Import a worker. In real case this would be a custom worker with additional functionality.
    from src.service_tools.worker import Worker
    # Import of message is necessary!
    from src.service_tools.message import Message

    if __name__ == '__main__':

        parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()

        parser.add_argument('--config_file', required=True, help="worker config file", type=str)
        args = parser.parse_args()
        config_file = args.config_file

        print(f'reading config file: {config_file}')
        if not os.path.isfile(config_file):
            raise FileExistsError(f'{config_file} does not exist')
        config = ConfigParser()
        config.read(config_file)

        try:
            name = config.get('main', 'name', fallback=None)
        except Exception as e:
            name = ''

        try:
            id = uuid.UUID(config.get('main', 'id', fallback=None))
        except Exception as e:
            id = ''

        try:
            ip = config.get('main', 'ip', fallback=None)
        except Exception as e:
            print('ip in {self.config_path} does not exist. Assume localhost...')
            ip = 'localhost'

        print(f'starting worker: \n     name: {name} \n     id: {id} \n     ip: {ip}')
        new_worker = Worker(config_path=config_file)
        new_worker.start()


Requirements
------------

Python 3.7+.


Windows Support
---------------

Summary: On Windows, use ``py`` instead of ``python3`` for many of the examples in this
documentation.

This package fully supports Windows, along with Linux and macOS, but Python is typically
`installed differently on Windows <https://docs.python.org/3/using/windows.html>`_.
Windows users typically access Python through the
`py <https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0397/>`_ launcher rather than a ``python3``
link in their ``PATH``. Within a virtual environment, all platforms operate the same and use a
``python`` link to access the Python version used in that virtual environment.

Dependencies
------------

Dependencies are defined in:

- ``requirements.in``

- ``requirements.txt``

- ``dev-requirements.in``

- ``dev-requirements.txt``

Virtual Environments
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It is best practice during development to create an isolated
`Python virtual environment <https://docs.python.org/3/library/venv.html>`_ using the
``venv`` standard library module. This will keep dependant Python packages from interfering
with other Python projects on your system.

On \*Nix:

.. code-block:: bash

    $ python3 -m venv venv
    $ source venv/bin/activate

On Windows ``cmd``:

.. code-block:: bash

    > py -m venv venv
    > venv\Scripts\activate.bat

Once activated, it is good practice to update core packaging tools (``pip``, ``setuptools``, and
``wheel``) to the latest versions.

.. code-block:: bash

    (venv) $ python -m pip install --upgrade pip setuptools wheel

Packaging
---------

This project is designed as a Python package, meaning that it can be bundled up and redistributed
as a single compressed file.

Packaging is configured by:

- ``pyproject.toml``

- ``setup.py``

- ``MANIFEST.in``

To package the project as both a
`source distribution <https://docs.python.org/3/distutils/sourcedist.html>`_ and a
`wheel <https://wheel.readthedocs.io/en/stable/>`_:

.. code-block:: bash

    (venv) $ python setup.py sdist bdist_wheel

This will generate ``dist/fact-1.0.0.tar.gz`` and ``dist/fact-1.0.0-py3-none-any.whl``.

Read more about the `advantages of wheels <https://pythonwheels.com/>`_ to understand why
generating wheel distributions are important.

Upload Distributions to PyPI
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Source and wheel redistributable packages can be
`uploaded to PyPI <https://packaging.python.org/tutorials/packaging-projects/>`_ or installed
directly from the filesystem using ``pip``.

To upload to PyPI:

.. code-block:: bash

    (venv) $ python -m pip install twine
    (venv) $ twine upload dist/*

Testing
-------

Automated testing is performed using `tox <https://tox.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html>`_.
tox will automatically create virtual environments based on ``tox.ini`` for unit testing,
PEP8 style guide checking, and documentation generation.

.. code-block:: bash

    # Run all environments.
    #   To only run a single environment, specify it like: -e pep8
    # Note: tox is installed into the virtual environment automatically by pip-sync command above.
    (venv) $ tox

Unit Testing
^^^^^^^^^^^^

Unit testing is performed with `pytest <https://pytest.org/>`_. pytest has become the defacto
Python unit testing framework. Some key advantages over the built in
`unittest <https://docs.python.org/3/library/unittest.html>`_ module are:

#. Significantly less boilerplate needed for tests.

#. PEP8 compliant names (e.g. ``pytest.raises()`` instead of ``self.assertRaises()``).

#. Vibrant ecosystem of plugins.

pytest will automatically discover and run tests by recursively searching for folders and ``.py``
files prefixed with ``test`` for any functions prefixed by ``test``.

The ``tests`` folder is created as a Python package (i.e. there is an ``__init__.py`` file
within it) because this helps ``pytest`` uniquely namespace the test files. Without this,
two test files cannot be named the same, even if they are in different sub-directories.

Code coverage is provided by the `pytest-cov <https://pytest-cov.readthedocs.io/en/latest/>`_
plugin.

When running a unit test tox environment (e.g. ``tox``, ``tox -e py37``, etc.), a data file
(e.g. ``.coverage.py37``) containing the coverage data is generated. This file is not readable on
its own, but when the ``coverage`` tox environment is run (e.g. ``tox`` or ``tox -e -coverage``),
coverage from all unit test environments is combined into a single data file and an HTML report is
generated in the ``htmlcov`` folder showing each source file and which lines were executed during
unit testing. Open ``htmlcov/index.html`` in a web browser to view the report. Code coverage 
reports help identify areas of the project that are currently not tested.

Code coverage is configured in ``pyproject.toml``.

To pass arguments to ``pytest`` through ``tox``:

.. code-block:: bash

    (venv) $ tox -e py37 -- -k invalid_factorial

Code Style Checking
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

`PEP8 <https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0008/>`_ is the universally accepted style
guide for Python code. PEP8 code compliance is verified using `flake8 <http://flake8.pycqa.org/>`_.
flake8 is configured in the ``[flake8]`` section of ``tox.ini``. Extra flake8 plugins
are also included:

- ``pep8-naming``: Ensure functions, classes, and variables are named with correct casing.

Automated Code Formatting
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Code is automatically formatted using `black <https://github.com/psf/black>`_. Imports are
automatically sorted and grouped using `isort <https://github.com/timothycrosley/isort/>`_.

These tools are configured by:

- ``pyproject.toml``

To automatically format code, run:

.. code-block:: bash

    (venv) $ tox -e fmt

To verify code has been formatted, such as in a CI job:

.. code-block:: bash

    (venv) $ tox -e fmt-check

Generated Documentation
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Documentation that includes the ``README.rst`` and the Python project modules is automatically
generated using a `Sphinx <http://sphinx-doc.org/>`_ tox environment. Sphinx is a documentation
generation tool that is the defacto tool for Python documentation. Sphinx uses the
`RST <https://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/latest/usage/restructuredtext/basics.html>`_ markup language.

This project uses the
`napoleon <http://www.sphinx-doc.org/en/master/usage/extensions/napoleon.html>`_ plugin for
Sphinx, which renders Google-style docstrings. Google-style docstrings provide a good mix
of easy-to-read docstrings in code as well as nicely-rendered output.

.. code-block:: python

    """Computes the factorial through a recursive algorithm.

    Args:
        n: A positive input value.

    Raises:
        InvalidFactorialError: If n is less than 0.

    Returns:
        Computed factorial.
    """

The Sphinx project is configured in ``docs/conf.py``.

Build the docs using the ``docs`` tox environment (e.g. ``tox`` or ``tox -e docs``). Once built,
open ``docs/_build/index.html`` in a web browser.

Generate a New Sphinx Project
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To generate the Sphinx project shown in this project:

.. code-block:: bash

    # Note: Sphinx is installed into the virtual environment automatically by pip-sync command
    # above.
    (venv) $ mkdir docs
    (venv) $ cd docs
    (venv) $ sphinx-quickstart --no-makefile --no-batchfile --extensions sphinx.ext.napoleon
    # When prompted, select all defaults.

Modify ``conf.py`` appropriately:

.. code-block:: python

    # Add the project's Python package to the path so that autodoc can find it.
    import os
    import sys
    sys.path.insert(0, os.path.abspath('../src'))

    ...

    html_theme_options = {
        # Override the default alabaster line wrap, which wraps tightly at 940px.
        'page_width': 'auto',
    }

Modify ``index.rst`` appropriately:

::

    .. include:: ../README.rst

    apidoc/modules.rst

Project Structure
-----------------

Traditionally, Python projects place the source for their packages in the root of the project
structure, like:

.. code-block::

    fact
    ├── fact
    │   ├── __init__.py
    │   ├── cli.py
    │   └── lib.py
    ├── tests
    │   ├── __init__.py
    │   └── test_fact.py
    ├── tox.ini
    └── setup.py

However, this structure is `known
<https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/goodpractices.html#tests-outside-application-code>`_ to have bad
interactions with ``pytest`` and ``tox``, two standard tools maintaining Python projects. The
fundamental issue is that tox creates an isolated virtual environment for testing. By installing
the distribution into the virtual environment, ``tox`` ensures that the tests pass even after the
distribution has been packaged and installed, thereby catching any errors in packaging and
installation scripts, which are common. Having the Python packages in the project root subverts
this isolation for two reasons:

#. Calling ``python`` in the project root (for example, ``python -m pytest tests/``) `causes Python
   to add the current working directory
   <https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/pythonpath.html#invoking-pytest-versus-python-m-pytest>`_
   (the project root) to ``sys.path``, which Python uses to find modules. Because the source
   package ``fact`` is in the project root, it shadows the ``fact`` package installed in the tox
   environment.

#. Calling ``pytest`` directly anywhere that it can find the tests will also add the project root
   to ``sys.path`` if the ``tests`` folder is a a Python package (that is, it contains a
   ``__init__.py`` file). `pytest adds all folders containing packages
   <https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/goodpractices.html#conventions-for-python-test-discovery>`_
   to ``sys.path`` because it imports the tests like regular Python modules.

In order to properly test the project, the source packages must not be on the Python path. To
prevent this, there are three possible solutions:

#. Remove the ``__init__.py`` file from ``tests`` and run ``pytest`` directly as a tox command.

#. Remove the ``__init__.py`` file from tests and change the working directory of
   ``python -m pytest`` to ``tests``.

#. Move the source packages to a dedicated ``src`` folder.

The dedicated ``src`` directory is the `recommended solution
<https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/pythonpath.html#test-modules-conftest-py-files-inside-packages>`_
by ``pytest`` when using tox and the solution this blueprint promotes because it is the least
brittle even though it deviates from the traditional Python project structure. It results is a
directory structure like:

.. code-block::

    fact
    ├── src
    │   └── fact
    │       ├── __init__.py
    │       ├── cli.py
    │       └── lib.py
    ├── tests
    │   ├── __init__.py
    │   └── test_fact.py
    ├── tox.ini
    └── setup.py

Type Hinting
------------

`Type hinting <https://docs.python.org/3/library/typing.html>`_ allows developers to include
optional static typing information to Python source code. This allows static analyzers such
as `PyCharm <https://www.jetbrains.com/pycharm/>`_, `mypy <http://mypy-lang.org/>`_, or
`pytype <https://github.com/google/pytype>`_ to check that functions are used with the correct
types before runtime.

For
`PyCharm in particular <https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/type-hinting-in-product.html>`_,
the IDE is able to provide much richer auto-completion, refactoring, and type checking while
the user types, resulting in increased productivity and correctness.

This project uses the type hinting syntax introduced in Python 3:

.. code-block:: python

    def factorial(n: int) -> int:

Type checking is performed by mypy via ``tox -e mypy``. mypy is configured in ``setup.cfg``.

Licensing
---------

Licensing for the project is defined in:

- ``LICENSE.txt``

- ``setup.py``

This project uses a common permissive license, the MIT license.

You may also want to list the licenses of all of the packages that your Python project depends on.
To automatically list the licenses for all dependencies in ``requirements.txt`` (and their
transitive dependencies) using
`pip-licenses <https://github.com/raimon49/pip-licenses>`_:

.. code-block:: bash

    (venv) $ tox -e licenses
    ...
     Name        Version  License
     colorama    0.4.3    BSD License
     exitstatus  1.3.0    MIT License

PyCharm Configuration
---------------------

To configure PyCharm 2018.3 and newer to align to the code style used in this project:

- Settings | Search "Hard wrap at"

    - Editor | Code Style | General | Hard wrap at: 99

- Settings | Search "Optimize Imports"

    - Editor | Code Style | Python | Imports

        - ☑ Sort import statements

            - ☑ Sort imported names in "from" imports

            - ☐ Sort plain and "from" imports separately within a group

            - ☐ Sort case-insensitively

        - Structure of "from" imports

            - ◎ Leave as is

            - ◉ Join imports with the same source

            - ◎ Always split imports

- Settings | Search "Docstrings"

    - Tools | Python Integrated Tools | Docstrings | Docstring Format: Google

- Settings | Search "Force parentheses"

    - Editor | Code Style | Python | Wrapping and Braces | "From" Import Statements

        - ☑ Force parentheses if multiline

Integrate Code Formatters
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

To integrate automatic code formatters into PyCharm, reference the following instructions:

- `black integration <https://black.readthedocs.io/en/stable/editor_integration.html#pycharm-intellij-idea>`_

    - The File Watchers method (step 3) is recommended. This will run ``black`` on every save.

- `isort integration <https://github.com/timothycrosley/isort/wiki/isort-Plugins>`_

    - The File Watchers method (option 1) is recommended. This will run ``isort`` on every save.