poolifier

Node.js Worker_Threads and Cluster Worker Pool

Why Poolifier?

Poolifier is used to perform CPU and/or I/O intensive tasks on Node.js servers, it implements worker pools using worker_threads and cluster Node.js modules.
With poolifier you can improve your performance and resolve problems related to the event loop.
Moreover you can execute your tasks using an API designed to improve the developer experience.
Please consult our general guidelines.

• Easy to use :white_check_mark:
• Performance benchmarks :white_check_mark:
• Fixed and dynamic pool size :white_check_mark:
• Easy switch from a pool type to another :white_check_mark:
• No runtime dependencies :white_check_mark:
• Proper integration with node async_hooks :white_check_mark:
• Support CommonJS, ESM, and TypeScript :white_check_mark:
• Support for worker_threads and cluster Node.js modules :white_check_mark:
• Support multiple task functions :white_check_mark:
• Support sync and async task functions :white_check_mark:
• Tasks distribution strategies :white_check_mark:
• General guidelines on pool choice :white_check_mark:
• Error handling out of the box :white_check_mark:
• Widely tested :white_check_mark:
• Active community :white_check_mark:
• Code quality
• Code security

Table of contents

• Overview
• Installation
• Usage
• Node versions
• API
• General guidelines
• Worker choice strategies
• Contribute
• Team
• License

Overview

Poolifier contains two worker_threads/cluster worker pool implementations, you don't have to deal with worker_threads/cluster complexity.
The first implementation is a fixed worker pool, with a defined number of workers that are started at creation time and will be reused.
The second implementation is a dynamic worker pool, with a number of worker started at creation time (these workers will be always active and reused) and other workers created when the load will increase (with an upper limit, these workers will be reused when active), the new created workers will be stopped after a configurable period of inactivity.
You have to implement your worker by extending the ThreadWorker or ClusterWorker class.

Installation

npm install poolifier --save

Usage

You can implement a worker_threads worker in a simple way by extending the class ThreadWorker:

'use strict'
const { ThreadWorker } = require('poolifier')

function yourFunction(data) {
  // this will be executed in the worker thread,
  // the data will be received by using the execute method
  return { ok: 1 }
}

module.exports = new ThreadWorker(yourFunction, {
  maxInactiveTime: 60000
})

Instantiate your pool based on your needs :

'use strict'
const { DynamicThreadPool, FixedThreadPool, PoolEvents, availableParallelism } = require('poolifier')

// a fixed worker_threads pool
const pool = new FixedThreadPool(availableParallelism(), './yourWorker.js', {
  errorHandler: (e) => console.error(e),
  onlineHandler: () => console.info('worker is online')
})

pool.emitter.on(PoolEvents.ready, () => console.info('Pool is ready'))
pool.emitter.on(PoolEvents.busy, () => console.info('Pool is busy'))

// or a dynamic worker_threads pool
const pool = new DynamicThreadPool(Math.floor(availableParallelism() / 2), availableParallelism(), './yourWorker.js', {
  errorHandler: (e) => console.error(e),
  onlineHandler: () => console.info('worker is online')
})

pool.emitter.on(PoolEvents.full, () => console.info('Pool is full'))
pool.emitter.on(PoolEvents.ready, () => console.info('Pool is ready'))
pool.emitter.on(PoolEvents.busy, () => console.info('Pool is busy'))

// the execute method signature is the same for both implementations,
// so you can easy switch from one to another
pool
  .execute()
  .then((res) => {
    console.info(res)
  })
  .catch((err) => {
    console.error(err)
  })

You can do the same with the classes ClusterWorker, FixedClusterPool and DynamicClusterPool.

See examples folder for more details:

• Javascript
• Typescript
  • HTTP client pool
  • SMTP client pool
  • HTTP server pool
    • Express worker_threads pool
    • Fastify worker_threads pool
    • Fastify cluster pool
    • Fastify hybrid pool
  • WebSocket server pool
    • ws worker_threads pool
    • ws cluster pool
    • ws hybrid pool

Remember that workers can only send and receive structured-cloneable data.

Node versions

Node versions >= 16.14.x are supported.

API

General guidelines

Worker choice strategies

Contribute

Choose your task here 2.6.x, propose an idea, a fix, an improvement.

See CONTRIBUTING guidelines.

Team

Creator/Owner:

• Alessandro Pio Ardizio

Contributors

• Shinigami92
• Jérôme Benoit

License

MIT