10. Tracing & Instrumentation

CML includes a macro-based tracing system for debugging and performance analysis:

• Zero-overhead when disabled: Tracing is compiled out unless -Dtrace is passed.
• Event IDs: Every event and pick has a unique ID for correlation.
• Fiber context: Trace output includes the current fiber (or user-assigned fiber name).
• Outcome tracing: Commit/cancel outcomes are logged for all key CML operations.
• User-defined tags: CML.trace accepts an optional tag: argument for grouping/filtering.
• Flexible output: Trace output can be redirected to any IO (file, pipe, etc) via CML::Tracer.set_output(io).
• Filtering: Tracer can filter by tag, event type, or fiber using set_filter_tags, set_filter_events, and set_filter_fibers.

Example:

CML.trace "Chan.register_send", value, pick, tag: "chan"
CML::Tracer.set_output(File.open("trace.log", "w"))
CML::Tracer.set_filter_tags(["chan", "pick"])

See src/trace_macro.cr for details.

Crystal Concurrent ML (CML)

A minimal, composable, and correct Concurrent ML runtime for Crystal — built from first principles using events, channels, and fibers.

💡 Concurrent ML (CML) is a message-passing concurrency model introduced by John Reppy. It extends synchronous channels with first-class events that can be composed, chosen, or canceled safely.

---

1. Overview

This library provides a small but complete CML implementation in pure Crystal. It adds a higher-level event layer on top of Crystal's built-in channels and fibers.

Core features:

• Event(T) abstraction for synchronization
• Atomic commit cell (Pick) ensuring only one event in a choice succeeds
• Chan(T) supporting synchronous rendezvous communication
• Event combinators: choose, wrap, guard, nack, timeout
• Fully deterministic, non-blocking registration semantics
• Fiber-safe cancellation and cleanup

Design principles:

• One pick, one commit: Exactly one event in a choice succeeds
• Zero blocking in registration: try_register never blocks
• Deterministic behavior: Predictable regardless of scheduling
• Memory safe: No recursion in structs, proper cleanup

---

2. Installation

Add this to your shard.yml:

dependencies:
  cml:
    github: your-username/cml.cr

Then run:

shards install

---

3. Quickstart

After/Timeout Helper

CML.after(1.second) { puts "Timeout reached!" }

Spawning a Worker and Waiting for Result

result_evt = CML.spawn_evt { compute_something() }
CML.sync(result_evt)

Pipeline with Channels

ch1 = CML::Chan(Int32).new
ch2 = CML::Chan(String).new

CML.after(0.seconds) { ch1.send(42) }
CML.after(0.seconds) { ch2.send("done") }

CML.sync(CML.choose([ch1.recv, ch2.recv]))

See the Cookbook for more idioms and patterns.

Basic Channel Communication

require "cml"

# Create a channel for integers
ch = CML::Chan(Int32).new

# Spawn a sender
spawn { CML.sync(ch.send_evt(99)) }

# Receiver waits synchronously
val = CML.sync(ch.recv_evt)
puts val  # => 99

Racing Events with Timeout

# Use choose to race a receive against a timeout
evt = CML.choose([
  ch.recv_evt,
  CML.wrap(CML.timeout(1.second)) { |_t| "timeout" }
])
puts CML.sync(evt)  # => "timeout" if no message arrives

Event Composition & DSL Helpers

string_evt = CML.wrap(ch.recv_evt) { |x| "Received: #{x}" }
lazy_evt = CML.guard { expensive_computation_evt }
safe_evt = CML.nack(ch.recv_evt) { puts "Event was cancelled!" }

# After/Timeout helper
CML.after(2.seconds) { puts "done after 2s" }

# Spawn a fiber and get result as event
evt = CML.spawn_evt { 123 }
CML.sync(evt) # => 123

IO & Socket Helpers

# Non-blocking reads/writes as events
line = CML.sync(CML.read_line_evt(STDIN))
CML.sync(CML.write_evt(STDOUT, "ok\n".to_slice))

# Channel-backed streams (in-process piping)
ch = CML.channel(String)
reader = CML.open_chan_in(ch)
writer = CML.open_chan_out(ch)
CML.sync(CML.write_line_evt(writer, "hello"))
puts CML.sync(CML.read_line_evt(reader)) # => "hello\n"

# TCP/UDP helpers with cancellation support
sock_evt = CML::Socket.connect_evt("example.com", 80)
resp = CML.sync(CML.choose([
  CML.wrap(sock_evt) { |sock| CML.sync(CML::Socket.send_evt(sock, "ping".to_slice)) },
  CML.wrap(CML.timeout(100.milliseconds)) { :timeout },
]))

---

4. Core API

Events

• CML.sync(evt) - Synchronize on an event
• CML.always(value) - Event that always succeeds
• CML.never - Event that never succeeds
• CML.timeout(duration) - Time-based event
• CML.after(span) { ... } - Run a block after a delay (helper)
• CML.spawn_evt { ... } - Run a block in a fiber, return result as event (helper)

Combinators

• CML.choose(events) - Race multiple events
• CML.wrap(evt, &block) - Transform event result
• CML.guard(&block) - Lazy event construction
• CML.nack(evt, &block) - Cancellation cleanup

Channels

• CML::Chan(T).new - Create a synchronous channel
• chan.send_evt(value) - Send event
• chan.recv_evt - Receive event

Optional helpers

• CML.after(span) { ... }, CML.spawn_evt { ... }, CML.sleep(span)
• IO helpers: read_evt, read_line_evt, read_all_evt, write_evt, flush_evt
• Socket helpers: TCP Socket.accept_evt/Socket.connect_evt/Socket.recv_evt/Socket.send_evt, UDP Socket::UDP.send_evt/Socket::UDP.recv_evt
• Channel-backed IO: open_chan_in, open_chan_out
• Linda tuple-space example in src/cml/linda/linda.cr

---

5. Advanced Usage

Nested Choices

inner = CML.choose([evt1, evt2])
outer = CML.choose([inner, evt3])
result = CML.sync(outer)

Multiple Concurrent Channels

ch1 = CML::Chan(Int32).new
ch2 = CML::Chan(String).new

evt = CML.choose([
  CML.wrap(ch1.recv_evt) { |x| "Number: #{x}" },
  CML.wrap(ch2.recv_evt) { |s| "String: #{s}" }
])

Re-entrant Guards

evt = CML.guard do
  if some_condition
    CML.always(:ready)
  else
    CML.timeout(1.second)
  end
end

---

6. Documentation

• Overview & Architecture - Deep dive into event semantics
• API Reference - Complete API documentation
• CML Manual (Crystal) - Detailed reference mirroring the SML/NJ CML docs
• Examples - Working code examples
• Cookbook - Common idioms and patterns
• Common Gotchas - Type mismatches and other pitfalls, especially with choose

---

7. Running Tests

crystal spec

---

8. Contributing

See CONTRIBUTING.md for development guidelines and AGENTS.md for AI agent contribution rules.

---

9. License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

---

11. Debugging Guide

See docs/debugging_guide.md for practical tips on using tracing, tags, and filtering to debug slow, stuck, or incorrect code in CML.