How to set up reactive gRPC with Spring Reactor?

Use the protobuf compiler plugin to generate stubs and include the reactor dependency. Refer to the reactor sub-directory README for configuration details and demos.

Reactive gRPC vs Akka gRPC: which one should I use?

For Akka-based systems, use Akka gRPC as it's mature and production-ready. Reactive gRPC is better for RxJava or Spring Reactor integrations where back-pressure is critical.

Does reactive gRPC support back-pressure in bidirectional streams?

Yes, it implements end-to-end back-pressure via HTTP/2 and Reactive Streams, but the flow control can be complex and not always intuitive, as explained in the documentation.

How to handle exceptions in reactive gRPC client-server communication?

Exceptions are propagated with gRPC status exceptions, but server-to-client errors are more predictable than client-to-server, which can be timing-dependent and less reliable.

Is reactive gRPC good for Android apps with RxJava?

Yes, for RxJava on Android, it should work since generated code targets Java 8, but test thoroughly as underlying library support varies.

What are the limitations of reactive gRPC's flow control?

Flow control isn't purely reactive; it interacts with HTTP/2 byte streams and gRPC message buffers, so calls like request(1) may not translate directly, requiring careful reasoning.

Open-Awesome

reactive-grpc

BSD-3-ClauseJavav1.2.4

A suite of libraries for using gRPC with Reactive Streams programming models like RxJava and Spring Reactor.

GitHub

843 stars121 forks0 contributors

What is reactive-grpc?

Reactive gRPC is a suite of libraries that provides reactive programming bindings for gRPC, enabling developers to use Reactive Streams libraries like RxJava and Spring Reactor with gRPC services. It solves the problem of integrating gRPC's HTTP/2-based communication with reactive programming models by offering generated stubs that support back-pressure and streaming operations.

Target Audience

Java developers building microservices or distributed systems with gRPC who want to adopt reactive programming patterns using RxJava or Spring Reactor.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Reactive gRPC because it seamlessly integrates gRPC with popular reactive libraries, providing end-to-end back-pressure support and bidirectional streaming capabilities that align with Reactive Streams standards.

Overview

Reactive stubs for gRPC

Use Cases

Best For

Building reactive microservices with gRPC and RxJava
Implementing back-pressure in gRPC streaming APIs
Integrating gRPC with Spring Reactor projects
Developing Android apps with gRPC and reactive programming
Creating bidirectional streaming services with flow control
Migrating existing gRPC services to reactive programming models

Not Ideal For

Projects using Akka for reactive programming (Akka gRPC is recommended instead)
Simple gRPC services without reactive streams or back-pressure needs
Teams requiring actively maintained libraries with regular updates and support
Android apps relying on Spring Reactor (due to unofficial and limited Android support)

Pros & Cons

Pros

Reactive Bindings Generation

Generates gRPC stubs for RxJava 2, RxJava 3, and Spring Reactor via a protobuf compiler plugin, simplifying integration with reactive programming libraries.

End-to-End Back-Pressure

Integrates gRPC's HTTP/2 flow control with Reactive Streams, enabling consistent back-pressure across distributed systems for unary and streaming operations.

Bidirectional Streaming Support

Supports streaming in both directions, aligning with reactive programming patterns for complex data flows between client and server.

Error Propagation Handling

Manages exception propagation with gRPC status exceptions, ensuring errors are communicated between client and server, though with some quirks.

Cons

Paused Development Status

The project is effectively paused and seeking new maintainers, risking long-term stability, updates, and support for production systems.

Complex Flow Control Model

Back-pressure involves three interacting layers (HTTP/2, gRPC, Reactive Streams), making behavior unintuitive and less predictable, as admitted in the documentation.

Limited Android Compatibility

Spring Reactor bindings are not officially supported on Android, and support is conditional on SDK version 26+, limiting use in mobile development.

Frequently Asked Questions

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