SegmentReader

SegmentReader is a software abstraction used to read data from sources that are divided into discrete segments. It provides a uniform interface for accessing data arranged in segments, which can be time-based, size-based, or indexed. The component abstracts storage, retrieval, and optional decoding, enabling higher-level processing to operate without needing to know the exact segment layout or storage details.

Core responsibilities of a SegmentReader include locating segments by index or timestamp, retrieving segment payloads into memory or a streaming buffer, handling partial or missing segments, and reporting metadata such as segment boundaries, duration, and checksums. It may also perform integrity checks, manage buffering or prefetching, and support seek or rewind operations to enable random-access reading.

Typical interfaces describe methods for opening a data source, reading the next available segment, reading a specific segment by index or timestamp, and closing the source. A SegmentReader may also expose capabilities such as querying the total number of segments, obtaining segment boundaries or lengths, and resetting the reader to a known position. Implementations often provide asynchronous or multi-threaded variants to improve throughput and reduce latency.

Applications and domains for SegmentReader include media streaming (reading segmented video or audio for players or servers), data ingestion pipelines that process partitioned logs or event streams, distributed storage and archiving systems that handle segmented files, and time-series or scientific data workflows that operate on interval-based records. Challenges in practice include handling variable segment sizes, network-induced gaps, out-of-order arrivals, and efficiently balancing memory usage with latency requirements.

See also: segment-based I/O concepts, readers and decoders, data streaming architectures.