Implementation of the Raft Consensus Algorithm Using C++20 Coroutines
This article describes how to implement a Raft Server consensus module in C++20 without using any additional libraries. The narrative is divided into three main sections:
- A comprehensive overview of the Raft algorithm
- A detailed account of the Raft Server’s development
- A description of a custom coroutine-based network library
The implementation makes use of the robust capabilities of C++20, particularly coroutines, to present an effective and modern methodology for building a critical component of distributed systems. This exposition not only demonstrates the practical application and benefits of C++20 coroutines in sophisticated programming environments, but it also provides an in-depth exploration of the challenges and resolutions encountered while building a consensus module from the ground up, such as Raft Server. The Raft Server and network library repositories, miniraft-cpp and coroio, are available for further exploration and practical applications.