[pkg-lua-devel] Bug#794008: ITP: lua-lanes -- Lua extension library providing the possibility to run multiple Lua states in parallel

Wed Jul 29 18:11:00 UTC 2015

Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist
Owner: Victor Seva <linuxmaniac at torreviejawireless.org>

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* Package name    : lua-lanes
  Version         : 3.10.0
  Upstream Author : Benoit Germain <bnt.germain at gmail.com>
* URL             : https://github.com/LuaLanes/lanes/
* License         : MIT/X
  Programming Lang: C, Lua
  Description     : Lua extension library providing the possibility to run multiple Lua states in parallel

It is intended to be used for optimizing performance on multicore CPU's and
to study ways to make Lua programs naturally parallel to begin with.

Features:
 * Lanes have separated data, by default. Shared data is possible with Linda objects.
 * Communications is separate of threads, using Linda objects.
 * Data passing uses fast inter-state copies (no serialization required).
 * "Deep userdata" concept, for sharing userdata over multiple lanes.
 * Millisecond level timers, integrated with the Linda system.
 * Threads can be given priorities.
 * Lanes are cancellable, with proper cleanup.
 * No Lua-side application level locking - ever!
 * Several totally independant Lanes universes may coexist in an
   application, one per "master" Lua state.

Limitations:
 * Coroutines are not passed between states.
 * Sharing full userdata between states needs special C side preparations (-> deep userdata).
 * Network level parallelism not included.
 * Just like independant Lua states, Lanes universes cannot communicate together.

Dependence for luacheck ITP http://bugs.debian.org/776473
This will be maintained under the pkg-lua Team umbrella.