RPC interface stands for Remote Procedure Call interface. It’s a way for software to execute a function or procedure on another computer (usually over a network), as if it were a local function.
Breakdown:
- Remote: The function runs on another system.
- Procedure Call: It’s like calling a function/method in your local code.
- Interface: A defined way (usually via protocol or API) to make the call.
Example Use:
If App A wants to get data from Server B:
- App A calls a function like
getUser(123)via RPC. - Server B runs that function and sends the result back.
- App A continues as if it called the function locally.
Common Technologies:
- gRPC (Google’s RPC framework using HTTP/2)
- JSON-RPC, XML-RPC
- Thrift (by Apache)
Key Features:
- Abstracts the network communication
- Can be synchronous or asynchronous
- Often used in microservices or distributed systems
It’s similar in concept to REST APIs, but more tightly coupled and structured like direct function calls.