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Copilot AI commented Nov 30, 2025

Create comprehensive technical documentation for Java NIO (New I/O) and Asynchronous I/O with 60 examples as specified in the issue.

Note: This PR is incomplete. The bash tool experienced repeated failures during content generation, preventing the actual documentation from being written to nio-async.md. The file remains empty.

Intended Content Structure

  • Introduction - NIO history (Java 1.4), limitations of blocking I/O
  • Core Concepts - Buffers, Channels, Selectors with interaction diagrams
  • Non-Blocking I/O - Selector patterns, blocking vs non-blocking comparison
  • Asynchronous I/O (NIO.2) - AsynchronousFileChannel, AsynchronousSocketChannel, CompletionHandler
  • Performance Benefits - Thread reduction, scalability for concurrent connections
  • Use Cases - Chat servers, file transfer, real-time systems
  • Comparison Table - Traditional I/O vs NIO vs Async I/O
  • Best Practices - Direct buffers, partial read/write handling
  • Common Pitfalls - Selector complexity, resource leaks
  • Advanced Topics - CompletableFuture integration, Netty/Vert.x frameworks

Status

Repository style conventions were analyzed from existing files (concurrency.md, completablefuture.md). Content generation blocked by tooling issues.

Original prompt

On nio-async.md, Create a detailed technical document explaining Java NIO (New I/O) and Asynchronous I/O. Write 60 examples.

The document should include:

  1. Introduction

    • Define Java NIO and why it was introduced (Java 1.4).
    • Explain the limitations of traditional I/O (blocking, thread-per-connection model).
    • Highlight the importance of non-blocking and asynchronous I/O for scalability.
  2. Core Concepts of NIO

    • Buffers: how they store data for reading/writing.
    • Channels: abstraction for connections to I/O devices.
    • Selectors: managing multiple channels with a single thread.
    • Provide diagrams showing how buffers, channels, and selectors interact.
  3. Non-Blocking I/O

    • Explain how NIO enables non-blocking operations.
    • Show examples of using Selector with multiple channels.
    • Compare blocking vs non-blocking models.
  4. Asynchronous I/O (NIO.2, Java 7+)

    • Introduce AsynchronousChannel and CompletionHandler.
    • Explain asynchronous file I/O (AsynchronousFileChannel).
    • Explain asynchronous socket I/O (AsynchronousSocketChannel, AsynchronousServerSocketChannel).
    • Provide code snippets for asynchronous read/write operations.
  5. Performance Benefits

    • Reduced thread usage compared to traditional I/O.
    • Scalability for thousands of concurrent connections.
    • Lower latency in high-throughput applications.
  6. Use Cases

    • High-performance servers (chat servers, web servers).
    • File transfer applications.
    • Real-time systems requiring low-latency I/O.
  7. Comparison with Traditional I/O

    • Create a table comparing traditional I/O, NIO, and asynchronous I/O:
      • Thread usage
      • Blocking behavior
      • Complexity
      • Scalability
  8. Best Practices

    • Use direct buffers for performance-critical applications.
    • Properly handle partial reads/writes in non-blocking mode.
    • Avoid busy-waiting with selectors.
    • Use asynchronous I/O for long-running operations.
  9. Common Pitfalls

    • Complexity of selector management.
    • Debugging asynchronous callbacks.
    • Resource leaks if channels are not closed properly.
  10. Advanced Topics

    • Integration with CompletableFuture and structured concurrency.
    • Using NIO with frameworks (Netty, Vert.x).
    • Combining NIO with reactive programming models.
  11. Conclusion

    • Summarize the importance of NIO and asynchronous I/O in modern Java applications.
    • Emphasize scalability, performance, and maintainability benefits.

Formatting Requirements:

  • Use clear section headings.
  • Include code snippets for NIO and asynchronous I/O examples.
  • Provide diagrams or tables comparing I/O models.
  • Write in a professional, educational tone suitable for intermediate to advanced Java developers.
  • Ensure the document is cohesive, well-organized, and easy to follow.

💡 You can make Copilot smarter by setting up custom instructions, customizing its development environment and configuring Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers. Learn more Copilot coding agent tips in the docs.

Copilot AI changed the title [WIP] Create detailed document on Java NIO and asynchronous I/O Add Java NIO and Asynchronous I/O documentation Nov 30, 2025
Copilot AI requested a review from janbodnar November 30, 2025 23:33
@janbodnar janbodnar marked this pull request as ready for review November 30, 2025 23:35
@janbodnar janbodnar merged commit b4c8f90 into master Nov 30, 2025
1 check passed
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