path: root/whisper/whisperv5/doc.go

// Copyright 2016 The go-ethereum Authors
// This file is part of the go-ethereum library.
//
// The go-ethereum library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
// it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
// (at your option) any later version.
//
// The go-ethereum library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
// GNU Lesser General Public License for more details.
//
// You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public License
// along with the go-ethereum library. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.

/*
Package whisper implements the Whisper protocol (version 5).

Whisper combines aspects of both DHTs and datagram messaging systems (e.g. UDP).
As such it may be likened and compared to both, not dissimilar to the
matter/energy duality (apologies to physicists for the blatant abuse of a
fundamental and beautiful natural principle).

Whisper is a pure identity-based messaging system. Whisper provides a low-level
(non-application-specific) but easily-accessible API without being based upon
or prejudiced by the low-level hardware attributes and characteristics,
particularly the notion of singular endpoints.
*/
package whisperv5

import (
    "fmt"
    "time"
)

const (
    EnvelopeVersion    = uint64(0)
    ProtocolVersion    = uint64(5)
    ProtocolVersionStr = "5.0"
    ProtocolName       = "shh"

    statusCode           = 0 // used by whisper protocol
    messagesCode         = 1 // normal whisper message
    p2pCode              = 2 // peer-to-peer message (to be consumed by the peer, but not forwarded any further)
    p2pRequestCode       = 3 // peer-to-peer message, used by Dapp protocol
    NumberOfMessageCodes = 64

    paddingMask   = byte(3)
    signatureFlag = byte(4)

    TopicLength     = 4
    signatureLength = 65
    aesKeyLength    = 32
    AESNonceLength  = 12
    keyIdSize       = 32

    MaxMessageSize        = uint32(10 * 1024 * 1024) // maximum accepted size of a message.
    DefaultMaxMessageSize = uint32(1024 * 1024)
    DefaultMinimumPoW     = 0.2

    padSizeLimit      = 256 // just an arbitrary number, could be changed without breaking the protocol (must not exceed 2^24)
    messageQueueLimit = 1024

    expirationCycle   = time.Second
    transmissionCycle = 300 * time.Millisecond

    DefaultTTL     = 50 // seconds
    SynchAllowance = 10 // seconds
)

type unknownVersionError uint64

func (e unknownVersionError) Error() string {
    return fmt.Sprintf("invalid envelope version %d", uint64(e))
}

// MailServer represents a mail server, capable of
// archiving the old messages for subsequent delivery
// to the peers. Any implementation must ensure that both
// functions are thread-safe. Also, they must return ASAP.
// DeliverMail should use directMessagesCode for delivery,
// in order to bypass the expiry checks.
type MailServer interface {
    Archive(env *Envelope)
    DeliverMail(whisperPeer *Peer, request *Envelope)
}