# Vert.x RxJava

## Vert.x API for RxJava

RxJava is a popular library for composing asynchronous and event based programs using observable sequences for the Java VM.

Vert.x integrates naturally with RxJava, allowing to use observable wherever you can use streams or asynchronous results.

There are two ways for using the RxJava API with Vert.x:

- via the original Vert.x API with the `RxHelper` helper class that provides static methods for converting objects between Vert.x core API and RxJava API.

- via the Rxified Vert.x API enhancing the core Vert.x API.

### Read stream support

RxJava observable is a perfect match for Vert.x `ReadStream` class : both provide a flow of items.

The `RxHelper.toObservable` static methods convert a Vert.x read stream to an `rx.Observable`:

    FileSystem fileSystem = vertx.fileSystem();
    fileSystem.open("/data.txt", new OpenOptions(), result -> {
      AsyncFile file = result.result();
      Observable<Buffer> observable = RxHelper.toObservable(file);
      observable.forEach(data -> System.out.println("Read data: " + data.toString("UTF-8")));
    });

The Rxified Vert.x API provides a `toObservable` method on `ReadStream`:

    FileSystem fs = vertx.fileSystem();
    fs.open("/data.txt", new OpenOptions(), result -> {
      AsyncFile file = result.result();
      Observable<Buffer> observable = file.toObservable();
      observable.forEach(data -> System.out.println("Read data: " + data.toString("UTF-8")));
    });

Such observables are hot observables, i.e. they will produce notifications regardless of subscriptions.

### Handler support

The `RxHelper` can create an `ObservableHandler`: an `Observable` with a `toHandler` method returning an `Handler<T>` implementation:

    ObservableHandler<Long> observable = RxHelper.observableHandler();
    observable.subscribe(id -> {
      // Fired
    });
    vertx.setTimer(1000, observable.toHandler());

The Rxified Vert.x API does not provide a specific API for handler.

### Async result support

The Vert.x `Handler<AsyncResult<T>>` construct occuring as last parameter of an asynchronous method can be mapped to an observable of a single element:

- when the callback is a success, the observer `onNext` method is called with the item and the `onComplete` method is immediately invoked after

- when the callback is a failure, the observer `onError` method is called

The `RxHelper.observableFuture` method creates an `ObservableFuture`: an `Observable` with a `toHandler` method returning a `Handler<AsyncResult<T>>` implementation:

    ObservableFuture<HttpServer> observable = RxHelper.observableFuture();
    observable.subscribe(
        server -> {
          // Server is listening
        },
        failure -> {
          // Server could not start
        }
    );
    vertx.createHttpServer(new HttpServerOptions().
        setPort(1234).
        setHost("localhost")
    ).listen(observable.toHandler());

The `ObservableFuture<Server>` will get a single `HttpServer` object, if the `listen` operation fails, the subscriber will be notified with the failure.

The `RxHelper.toHandler` method adapts an existing `Observer` into an handler:

    Observer<HttpServer> observer = new Observer<HttpServer>() {
      @Override
      public void onNext(HttpServer o) {
      }
      @Override
      public void onError(Throwable e) {
      }
      @Override
      public void onCompleted() {
      }
    };
    Handler<AsyncResult<HttpServer>> handler = RxHelper.toFuture(observer);

It also works with just actions:

    Action1<HttpServer> onNext = httpServer -> {};
    Action1<Throwable> onError = httpServer -> {};
    Action0 onComplete = () -> {};

    Handler<AsyncResult<HttpServer>> handler1 = RxHelper.toFuture(onNext);
    Handler<AsyncResult<HttpServer>> handler2 = RxHelper.toFuture(onNext, onError);
    Handler<AsyncResult<HttpServer>> handler3 = RxHelper.toFuture(onNext, onError, onComplete);

The Rxified Vert.x API duplicates each such method with the `Observable` suffix that returns an observable:

    vertx.createHttpServer(
        new HttpServerOptions().setPort(1234).setHost("localhost")
    ).listenObservable().
        subscribe(
            server -> {
              // Server is listening
            },
            failure -> {
              // Server could not start
            }
        );

Such observables are cold observables, i.e. they will produce notifications on request.

### Scheduler support

The reactive extension sometimes needs to schedule actions, for instance `Observable#timer` creates and returns a timer that emit periodic events. By default, scheduled actions are managed by RxJava, it means that the timer threads are not Vert.x threads and therefore not executing in a Vert.x event loop.

When an RxJava method deals with a scheduler, it accepts an overloaded method accepting an extra `rx.Scheduler`, the `RxHelper.scheduler` method will return a scheduler that can be used in such places.

    Scheduler scheduler = RxHelper.scheduler(vertx);
    Observable<Long> timer = Observable.timer(100, 100, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS, scheduler);

For blocking scheduled actions, a scheduler can be created with the `RxHelper.blockingScheduler` method:

    Scheduler scheduler = RxHelper.blockingScheduler(vertx);
    Observable<Integer> obs = blockingObservable.observeOn(scheduler);

RxJava can also be reconfigured to use the Vert.x scheduler, thanks to the scheduler hook created with `RxHelper.schedulerHook`, the returned scheduler hook uses a blocking scheduler for IO actions:

    RxJavaSchedulersHook hook = RxHelper.schedulerHook(vertx);
    rx.plugins.RxJavaPlugins.getInstance().registerSchedulersHook(hook);

The Rxified Vert.x API provides also similar method on the `RxHelper` class:

    Scheduler scheduler = io.vertx.rxjava.core.RxHelper.scheduler(vertx);
    Observable<Long> timer = Observable.timer(100, 100, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS, scheduler);

    RxJavaSchedulersHook hook = io.vertx.rxjava.core.RxHelper.schedulerHook(vertx);
    rx.plugins.RxJavaPlugins.getInstance().registerSchedulersHook(hook);

### Json unmarshalling

The `RxHelper.unmarshaller` creates an `rx.Observable.Operator` that transforms an `Observable<Buffer>` in json format into an object observable:

    fileSystem.open("/data.txt", new OpenOptions(), result -> {
      AsyncFile file = result.result();
      Observable<Buffer> observable = RxHelper.toObservable(file);
      observable.lift(RxHelper.unmarshaller(MyPojo.class)).subscribe(
          mypojo -> {
            // Process the object
          }
      );
    });

The same can be done with the Rxified helper:

    fileSystem.open("/data.txt", new OpenOptions(), result -> {
      AsyncFile file = result.result();
      Observable<Buffer> observable = file.toObservable();
      observable.lift(io.vertx.rxjava.core.RxHelper.unmarshaller(MyPojo.class)).subscribe(
          mypojo -> {
            // Process the object
          }
      );
    });

### Deploying a Verticle

The Rxified API cannot deploy an existing Verticle instance, the helper `RxHelper.observableFuture` method provides a solution to that.

The `RxHelper.deployVerticle` does it automatically for you, it deploys a `Verticle` and returns an `Observable<String>` of the deployment ID.

    Observable<String> deployment = RxHelper.deployVerticle(vertx, verticle);

    deployment.subscribe(id -> {
      // Deployed
    }, err -> {
      // Could not deploy
    });

### HttpClient GET on subscription

The `RxHelper.get` is a convenient helper method that performs an HTTP GET upon subscription:

    Observable<HttpClientResponse> get = RxHelper.get(client, "http://the-server");

    // Do the request
    get.subscribe(resp -> {
      // Got response
    }, err -> {
      // Something went wrong
    });

Warning | this API is different from the HttpClient that performs the GET request when the method is called and returns a one shot `Observable`.

# Rxified API

The Rxified API is a code generated version of the Vert.x API, just like the JavaScript or Groovy language. The API uses the `io.vertx.rxjava` prefix, for instance the `io.vertx.core.Vertx` class is translated to the `Vertx` class.

### Embedding Rxfified Vert.x

Just use the `Vertx.vertx` methods:

    Vertx vertx = io.vertx.rxjava.core.Vertx.vertx();

### As a Verticle

Extend the `AbstractVerticle` class, it will wrap it for you:

    class MyVerticle extends io.vertx.rxjava.core.AbstractVerticle {
      public void start() {
        // Use Rxified Vertx here
      }
    }

Deploying an RxJava verticle is still performed by the Java deployer and does not need a specified deployer.

## Api examples

Let’s study now a few examples of using Vert.x with RxJava.

### EventBus message stream

The event bus `MessageConsumer` provides naturally an `Observable<Message<T>>`:

    EventBus eb = vertx.eventBus();
    MessageConsumer<String> consumer = eb.<String>consumer("the-address");
    Observable<Message<String>> observable = consumer.toObservable();
    Subscription sub = observable.subscribe(msg -> {
      // Got message
    });

    // Unregisters the stream after 10 seconds
    vertx.setTimer(10000, id -> {
      sub.unsubscribe();
    });

The `MessageConsumer` provides a stream of `Message`. The `body` gives access to a new stream of message bodies if needed:

    EventBus eb = vertx.eventBus();
    MessageConsumer<String> consumer = eb.<String>consumer("the-address");
    Observable<String> observable = consumer.bodyStream().toObservable();

RxJava map/reduce composition style can then be used:

    Observable<Double> observable = vertx.eventBus().
        <Double>consumer("heat-sensor").
        bodyStream().
        toObservable();

    observable.
        buffer(1, TimeUnit.SECONDS).
        map(samples -> samples.
            stream().
            collect(Collectors.averagingDouble(d -> d))).
        subscribe(heat -> {
          vertx.eventBus().send("news-feed", "Current heat is " + heat);
        });

### Timers

Timer task can be created with `timerStream`:

    vertx.timerStream(1000).
        toObservable().
        subscribe(
            id -> {
              System.out.println("Callback after 1 second");
            }
        );

Periodic task can be created with `periodicStream`:

    vertx.periodicStream(1000).
        toObservable().
        subscribe(
            id -> {
              System.out.println("Callback every second");
            }
        );

The observable can be cancelled with an unsubscription:

    vertx.periodicStream(1000).
        toObservable().
        subscribe(new Subscriber<Long>() {
          public void onNext(Long aLong) {
            // Callback
            unsubscribe();
          }
          public void onError(Throwable e) {}
          public void onCompleted() {}
        });

### Http client requests

`toObservable` provides a one shot callback with the `HttpClientResponse` object. The observable reports a request failure.

    HttpClient client = vertx.createHttpClient(new HttpClientOptions());
    HttpClientRequest request = client.request(HttpMethod.GET, 8080, "localhost", "/the_uri");
    request.toObservable().subscribe(
        response -> {
          // Process the response
        },
        error -> {
          // Could not connect
        }
    );
    request.end();

The response can be processed as an `Observable<Buffer>` with the `toObservable` method:

    request.toObservable().
        subscribe(
            response -> {
              Observable<Buffer> observable = response.toObservable();
              observable.forEach(
                  buffer -> {
                    // Process buffer
                  }
              );
            }
        );

The same flow can be achieved with the `flatMap` operation:

    request.toObservable().
        flatMap(HttpClientResponse::toObservable).
        forEach(
            buffer -> {
              // Process buffer
            }
        );

We can also unmarshall the `Observable<Buffer>` into an object using the `RxHelper.unmarshaller` static method. This method creates an `Rx.Observable.Operator` unmarshalling buffers to an object:

    request.toObservable().
        flatMap(HttpClientResponse::toObservable).
        lift(io.vertx.rxjava.core.RxHelper.unmarshaller(MyPojo.class)).
        forEach(
            pojo -> {
              // Process pojo
            }
        );

### Http server requests

The `requestStream` provides a callback for each incoming request:

    Observable<HttpServerRequest> requestObservable = server.requestStream().toObservable();
    requestObservable.subscribe(request -> {
      // Process request
    });

The `HttpServerRequest` can then be adapted to an `Observable<Buffer>`:

    Observable<HttpServerRequest> requestObservable = server.requestStream().toObservable();
    requestObservable.subscribe(request -> {
      Observable<Buffer> observable = request.toObservable();
    });

The `RxHelper.unmarshaller` can be used to parse and map a json request to an object:

    Observable<HttpServerRequest> requestObservable = server.requestStream().toObservable();
    requestObservable.subscribe(request -> {
      Observable<MyPojo> observable = request.
          toObservable().
          lift(io.vertx.rxjava.core.RxHelper.unmarshaller(MyPojo.class));
    });

### Websocket client

The `websocketStream` provides a single callback when the websocket connects, otherwise a failure:

    HttpClient client = vertx.createHttpClient(new HttpClientOptions());
    WebSocketStream stream = client.websocketStream(8080, "localhost", "/the_uri");
    stream.toObservable().subscribe(
        ws -> {
          // Use the websocket
        },
        error -> {
          // Could not connect
        }
    );

The `WebSocket` can then be turned into an `Observable<Buffer>` easily:

    socketObservable.subscribe(
        socket -> {
          Observable<Buffer> dataObs = socket.toObservable();
          dataObs.subscribe(buffer -> {
            System.out.println("Got message " + buffer.toString("UTF-8"));
          });
        }
    );

### Websocket server

The `websocketStream` provides a callback for each incoming connection:

    Observable<ServerWebSocket> socketObservable = server.websocketStream().toObservable();
    socketObservable.subscribe(
        socket -> System.out.println("Web socket connect"),
        failure -> System.out.println("Should never be called"),
        () -> {
          System.out.println("Subscription ended or server closed");
        }
    );

The `ServerWebSocket` can be turned into an `Observable<Buffer>` easily:

    socketObservable.subscribe(
        socket -> {
          Observable<Buffer> dataObs = socket.toObservable();
          dataObs.subscribe(buffer -> {
            System.out.println("Got message " + buffer.toString("UTF-8"));
          });
        }
    );