# Finsy P4Runtime Controller Library
[](https://pypi.org/project/finsy/) [](https://github.com/byllyfish/finsy/actions/workflows/ci.yml) [](https://codecov.io/gh/byllyfish/finsy) [](https://byllyfish.github.io/finsy/finsy.html)
Finsy is a [P4Runtime](https://p4.org/p4-spec/p4runtime/main/P4Runtime-Spec.html) controller library written in Python using [asyncio](https://docs.python.org/3/library/asyncio.html). Finsy includes support for [gNMI](https://github.com/openconfig/reference/blob/master/rpc/gnmi/gnmi-specification.md).
Check out the [examples](https://github.com/byllyfish/finsy/tree/main/examples) directory for demo programs.
## Installation
To install the latest version, type `pip install finsy`. Finsy requires Python 3.10 or later.
## P4Runtime Scripts
With Finsy, you can write a Python script that reads/writes P4Runtime entities for a single switch.
Here is a complete example that retrieves the P4Info from a switch:
```python
import finsy as fy
async def main():
async with fy.Switch("sw1", "127.0.0.1:50001") as sw1:
# Print out a description of the switch's P4Info, if one is configured.
print(sw1.p4info)
fy.run(main())
```
Here is another example that prints out all non-default table entries.
```python
import finsy as fy
async def main():
async with fy.Switch("sw1", "127.0.0.1:50001") as sw1:
# Do a wildcard read for table entries.
async for entry in sw1.read(fy.P4TableEntry()):
print(entry)
fy.run(main())
```
## P4Runtime Controller
You can also write a P4Runtime controller that manages multiple switches independently. Your controller
can react to events from the Switch by changing the contents of P4 tables.
Each switch is managed by an async `ready_handler` function. Your `ready_handler` function can read or
update various P4Runtime entities in the switch. It can also create tasks to listen for
packets or digests.
When you write P4Runtime updates to the switch, you use a unary operator (+, -, \~) to specify the operation:
INSERT (+), DELETE (-) or MODIFY (\~).
```python
import finsy as fy
async def ready_handler(sw: fy.Switch):
await sw.delete_all()
await sw.write(
[
# Insert (+) multicast group with ports 1, 2, 3 and CONTROLLER.
+fy.P4MulticastGroupEntry(1, replicas=[1, 2, 3, 255]),
# Modify (~) default table entry to flood all unmatched packets.
~fy.P4TableEntry(
"ipv4",
action=fy.P4TableAction("flood"),
is_default_action=True,
),
]
)
async for packet in sw.read_packets():
print(f"{sw.name}: {packet}")
```
Use the `SwitchOptions` class to specify each switch's settings, including the p4info/p4blob and
`ready_handler`. Use the `Controller` class to drive multiple switch connections. Each switch will call back
into your `ready_handler` function after the P4Runtime connection is established.
```python
from pathlib import Path
options = fy.SwitchOptions(
p4info=Path("hello.p4info.txt"),
p4blob=Path("hello.json"),
ready_handler=ready_handler,
)
controller = fy.Controller([
fy.Switch("sw1", "127.0.0.1:50001", options),
fy.Switch("sw2", "127.0.0.1:50002", options),
fy.Switch("sw3", "127.0.0.1:50003", options),
])
fy.run(controller.run())
```
Your `ready_handler` can spawn concurrent tasks with the `Switch.create_task` method. Tasks
created this way will have their lifetimes managed by the switch object.
If the switch disconnects or its role changes to backup, the task running your `ready_handler`
(and any tasks it spawned) will be cancelled and the `ready_handler` will begin again.
For more examples, see the [examples](https://github.com/byllyfish/finsy/tree/main/examples) directory.
## Development and Testing
Finsy requires a newer version of Python than is available on many systems. I recommend using
[pyenv](https://github.com/pyenv/pyenv) and [poetry](https://python-poetry.org/) to maintain your
development environment. You may use `pip` instead of `poetry` if you prefer.
To set up your development environment for Finsy using Python 3.11.2:
```
git clone https://github.com/byllyfish/finsy.git
cd finsy
pyenv install 3.11.2
pyenv shell 3.11.2
python -m venv .venv
.venv/bin/activate
poetry install
```
If you are not using `poetry`, replace `poetry install` with `pip install -r ci/requirements-dev.txt`.
To run the unit tests:
```
pytest
```
To run the example tests, run `pytest` from inside the `examples` directory. These tests require [podman](https://podman.io/).
```
cd examples
pytest
```
If you used pip, you need to make sure that the `finsy` module is available in the PYTHONPATH when running from the examples directory.
```
PYTHONPATH=.. pytest
```