Light Weight IP Applications

[engr_joni_ee]

I was reading a Xilinx application note on Light Weight IP. Light Weight IP (lwIP) is an open source TCP/IP networking stack for embedded systems.

There is a statement saying "All of these applications are available in both RAW and socket modes.". I am not sure what that means.

Also, in the section Software Applications, it refers to the following applications.

• Echo server
• Web server
• TFTP server
• TCP RX throughput test
• TCP TX throughput test

I am wondering what is the difference between them.

 

[engr_joni_ee]

I found some information from internet.

Socket API is a collection of socket calls that enable you to perform the following primary communication functions between application programs:

RAW API (sometimes called native API) is an event-driven API designed to be used without an operating system that implements zero-copy send and receive. This API is also used by the core stack for interaction between the various protocols. It is the only API available when running LWIP without an operating system.

The RAW API is more complex than the Socket API.

RAW API provides much higher throughput because it does not have a high overhead.

Does it means that RAW API is implemented at lower level and therefore, is more complex then Socket API.

 

[ads-ee]

Correct RAW sockets are implemented at a lower layer, e.g. Layer 3, so are going to be much more complex.