QNetwork

QNetwork refers to the Qt Network module within the Qt framework, a set of APIs designed to simplify network programming. It provides a high-level, cross-platform interface for common network tasks, including HTTP and HTTPS requests, FTP access, and low-level features such as proxy configuration, cookies, caching, and network interface discovery. The module is designed to work with Qt's event loop and relies on asynchronous, signal-slot communication to deliver responses without blocking the main thread.

Core classes include QNetworkAccessManager, the central coordinator for issuing network requests and handling replies; QNetworkRequest, which carries the details of an HTTP or other protocol request; and QNetworkReply, which represents the asynchronous response. Additional components include QNetworkCookieJar for cookie management, QNetworkDiskCache for response caching, QNetworkProxy for proxy configuration, and SSL-related classes such as QSslConfiguration and QSslError for TLS handling. The API provides a uniform interface across supported protocols, enabling applications to adapt to different network conditions with minimal code changes.

Usage generally involves creating a QNetworkAccessManager, issuing a request (for example a GET or POST) through the manager, and handling the finished signal to read data from the associated QNetworkReply. Errors, response headers, and data can be processed in slots connected to the manager or reply objects. The module is designed to be thread-friendly and integrates with Qt’s cross-platform abstractions, though protocol support and behavior can depend on the underlying platform and Qt version.

See also: Qt framework, Qt Network documentation.