readpacket

Readpacket is a generic term used in computing to describe a function or method that reads a single data packet from a stream, socket, or other byte-oriented interface. It is not a standardized library function but a pattern found in various networking libraries, IPC frameworks, and data-processing pipelines. The core idea is to extract discrete units of data that have a defined boundary, even when data arrives as a continuous sequence of bytes.

Because most transport protocols deliver data as a stream rather than as pre-divided messages, readpacket implementations rely on a framing strategy to determine where one packet ends and the next begins. Common framing methods include a length prefix, a delimiter, or fixed-size frames. Some implementations support multiple framing modes or use protocol-specific headers to locate the boundary.

When called, readpacket typically fills an output buffer with the packet payload and returns metadata such as the length of the packet, the timestamp, and possibly the source address or connection descriptor. It may block until a complete packet is available, or it may operate in non-blocking mode and return partial data or an indicator that more data is needed. Error conditions include timeouts, truncated packets, malformed framing, or closed connections.

Implementation details vary by language and platform, but most real-world versions maintain an internal buffer to assemble a full packet over several read operations and handle partial reads gracefully. Readpacket is frequently used in server code that processes client requests, in message buses, and in custom protocols that require precise message boundaries.

See also: read, recv, framing, protocol, packet, socket.