process-fun 0.1.2

# process-fun-rs

A Rust library for easily running functions in separate processes with minimal boilerplate on Nix systems.

## Overview

`process-fun-rs` provides a simple macro-based approach to execute Rust functions in separate processes. It handles all the complexity of process spawning, argument serialization, and result communication, allowing you to focus on your business logic.

⚠️ **Important Notes:**
- This library currently only supports Nix-based systems
- When passing mutable data to a process function, modifications made within the process will not be reflected in the original data structure in the parent process. 

## Features

- Simple `#[process]` attribute macro for marking functions to create an additional version that runs in separate processes
- Automatic serialization/deserialization of function return values
- Type-safe process communication
- Error handling with custom error types
- Debug mode for troubleshooting process execution
- Process timeout support with automatic cleanup

## Usage

Add this to your `Cargo.toml`:

```toml
[dependencies]
process-fun = "0.1.0"
```

Basic example:

```rust
use process_fun::process;
use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize};
use std::time::Duration;

#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
struct Point {
    x: i32,
    y: i32,
}

#[process]
pub fn add_points(p1: Point, p2: Point) -> Point {
    Point {
        x: p1.x + p2.x,
        y: p1.y + p2.y,
    }
}

fn main() {
    let p1 = Point { x: 1, y: 2 };
    let p2 = Point { x: 3, y: 4 };
    
    // Execute in a separate process with a timeout
    let mut process = add_points_process(p1, p2).unwrap();
    let result = process.timeout(Duration::from_secs(5)).unwrap();
    assert_eq!(result.x, 4);
    assert_eq!(result.y, 6);
}
```

Example demonstrating timeout behavior:

```rust
use process_fun::process;
use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize};
use std::time::Duration;
use std::thread;

#[process]
fn long_running_task() -> i32 {
    thread::sleep(Duration::from_secs(10));
    42
}

fn main() {
    let mut process = long_running_task_process().unwrap();
    
    // Process will be killed if it doesn't complete within 1 second
    match process.timeout(Duration::from_secs(1)) {
        Ok(result) => println!("Task completed with result: {}", result),
        Err(e) => println!("Task timed out: {}", e)
    }
}
```

Example demonstrating mutable data behavior:

```rust
use process_fun::process;
use serde::{Serialize, Deserialize};

#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize, Debug)]
struct Counter {
    value: i32,
}

#[process]
pub fn increment_counter(mut counter: Counter) -> Counter {
    counter.value += 1;
    counter
}

fn main() {
    let counter = Counter { value: 0 };
    
    // The counter is passed by value to the process
    let mut process = increment_counter_process(counter).unwrap();
    let result = process.timeout(Duration::from_secs(1)).unwrap();
    
    // Original counter is unchanged
    println!("Original counter value: {}", counter.value);  // Prints: 0
    println!("Result counter value: {}", result.value);     // Prints: 1
}
```

## How It Works

1. The `#[process]` attribute macro generates a wrapper function with `_process` suffix
2. When called, the wrapper function:
   - Forks the process
   - Returns a `ProcessWrapper` object
3. The ProcessWrapper provides timeout functionality:
   - Set a maximum duration for process execution
   - Automatically kills the process if it exceeds the timeout
   - Cleans up resources properly whether the process completes or times out
   - Deserializes the result from the process

## Crate Structure

- `process-fun`: Main crate providing the public API
- `process-fun-core`: Core functionality and types
- `process-fun-macro`: Implementation of the `#[process]` attribute macro

## Requirements

- Nix-based operating system
- Functions marked with `#[process]` must:
  - Have arguments and return types that implement `Serialize` and `Deserialize`
  - Not take `self` parameters

## License

This project is licensed under the Apache 2 License - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.