Dataflow and Reactive Programming Systems: A Practical Guide

by Matt Carkci

Dataflow concepts are the heart of Reactive Programming, Flow-Based Programming (e.g. NoFlo), Unix pipes, Actors and message passing in general. Dataflow-based systems are easy to design once you understand the large number of implementation details that could drastically change how the system operates. Understanding these vectors of change is important so you don't waste your time developing the wrong system. Embedded dataflow-like languages are used in a wide range of applications. Video games, web pages, circuit simulation and music production are just a few of the domains that have been using dataflow for years. Every one of those has a specialized dataflow engine designed for the task at hand. This book will help you understand the whole dataflow universe before starting your own system. By the end of the book you will understand... - All possible design choices with dataflow-based systems - How their effects interplay - How to develop your own dataflow-based system

Genres: Programming

160 pages, Paperback

First published May 29, 2014

Reviews

[Venkatesh-Prasad · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book provides a brisk overview of dataflow and reactive programming systems. Chapters 1-6 provide enough information to have informed discussions about data flow programming, actor model, flow-based programming, and communication sequential processes. From Chapter 7, the book tries to get into details and it kinda fails as the approach is rather informal and it only gets into the details of synchronous and asynchronous systems. Further, I wasn't sure about the target audience of these chapters.

In short, chapters 1-6 are really good and worth a read.

[Samuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and clearly explained book! The only thing is it is a little brief. I wish it had been a little longer, diving in more in depth of various example implementations etc.