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+= Fiber
+
+Fiber is a flow-control primitive which enable cooperative scheduling. This is
+in contrast to threads which can be preemptively scheduled at any time. While
+having a similar memory profiles, the cost of context switching fibers can be
+significantly less than threads as it does not involve a system call.
+
+== Design
+
+=== Scheduler
+
+The per-thread fiber scheduler interface is used to intercept blocking
+operations. A typical implementation would be a wrapper for a gem like
+EventMachine or Async. This design provides separation of concerns between the
+event loop implementation and application code. It also allows for layered
+schedulers which can perform instrumentation.
+
+ class Scheduler
+ # Wait for the given file descriptor to become readable.
+ def wait_readable(io)
+ end
+
+ # Wait for the given file descriptor to become writable.
+ def wait_writable(io)
+ end
+
+ # Wait for the given file descriptor to match the specified events within
+ # the specified timeout.
+ # @param event [Integer] a bit mask of +IO::WAIT_READABLE+,
+ # `IO::WAIT_WRITABLE` and `IO::WAIT_PRIORITY`.
+ # @param timeout [#to_f] the amount of time to wait for the event.
+ def wait_any(io, events, timeout)
+ end
+
+ # Sleep the current task for the specified duration, or forever if not
+ # specified.
+ # @param duration [#to_f] the amount of time to sleep.
+ def wait_sleep(duration = nil)
+ end
+
+ # The Ruby virtual machine is going to enter a system level blocking
+ # operation.
+ def enter_blocking_region
+ end
+
+ # The Ruby virtual machine has completed the system level blocking
+ # operation.
+ def exit_blocking_region
+ end
+
+ # Intercept the creation of a non-blocking fiber.
+ def fiber(&block)
+ Fiber.new(blocking: false, &block)
+ end
+
+ # Invoked when the thread exits.
+ def run
+ # Implement event loop here.
+ end
+ end
+
+On CRuby, the following extra methods need to be implemented to handle the
+public C interface:
+
+ class Scheduler
+ # Wrapper for rb_wait_readable(int) C function.
+ def wait_readable_fd(fd)
+ wait_readable(::IO.from_fd(fd, autoclose: false))
+ end
+
+ # Wrapper for rb_wait_readable(int) C function.
+ def wait_writable_fd(fd)
+ wait_writable(::IO.from_fd(fd, autoclose: false))
+ end
+
+ # Wrapper for rb_wait_for_single_fd(int) C function.
+ def wait_for_single_fd(fd, events, duration)
+ wait_any(::IO.from_fd(fd, autoclose: false), events, duration)
+ end
+ end
+
+=== Non-blocking Fibers
+
+By default fibers are blocking. Non-blocking fibers may invoke specific
+scheduler hooks when a blocking operation occurs, and these hooks may introduce
+context switching points.
+
+ Fiber.new(blocking: false) do
+ puts Fiber.current.blocking? # false
+
+ # May invoke `Thread.scheduler&.wait_readable`.
+ io.read(...)
+
+ # May invoke `Thread.scheduler&.wait_writable`.
+ io.write(...)
+
+ # Will invoke `Thread.scheduler&.wait_sleep`.
+ sleep(n)
+ end.resume
+
+We also introduce a new method which simplifes the creation of these
+non-blocking fibers:
+
+ Fiber do
+ puts Fiber.current.blocking? # false
+ end
+
+The purpose of this method is to allow the scheduler to internally decide the
+policy for when to start the fiber, and whether to use symmetric or asymmetric
+fibers.
+
+=== Mutex
+
+Locking a mutex causes the +Thread#scheduler+ to not be used while the mutex
+is held by that thread. On +Mutex#lock+, fiber switching via the scheduler
+is disabled and operations become blocking for all fibers of the same +Thread+.
+On +Mutex#unlock+, the scheduler is enabled again.
+
+ mutex = Mutex.new
+
+ puts Thread.current.blocking? # 1 (true)
+
+ Fiber.new(blocking: false) do
+ puts Thread.current.blocking? # false
+ mutex.synchronize do
+ puts Thread.current.blocking? # (1) true
+ end
+
+ puts Thread.current.blocking? # false
+ end.resume
+
+=== Non-blocking I/O
+
+By default, I/O is non-blocking. Not all operating systems support non-blocking
+I/O. Windows is a notable example where socket I/O can be non-blocking but pipe
+I/O is blocking. Provided that there *is* a scheduler and the current thread *is
+non-blocking*, the operation will invoke the scheduler.