.. index:: pair: page; Main Elements
.. _doxid-main_elements:

Main Elements
=============

These are the main elements in the architecture involved in the synchronization and communication between simulations:

* :ref:`DataPack <doxid-datapacks>` : user-defined data structures used to exchange data between engine servers and clients. They are as well the input and output of transceiver functions.

* :ref:`Functions <doxid-nrp_functions>` : user-defined Python functions that allow data exchange between different components of NRP Core.
  
  * :ref:`Transceiver Function <doxid-transceiver_function>` (TF): user-defined Python functions which enable data exchange between engines.
  
  * :ref:`Preprocessing Function <doxid-preprocessing_function>` (PF): user-defined Python functions which enable to pre-process data coming from engines before injecting it into TFs.
  
  * :ref:`Status Function <doxid-status_function>` : user-defined Python functions that enable the exchange of data between engines and :ref:`NRP-core Python Client <doxid-python_client>`.

* :ref:`Engine <doxid-engines>` : provides both an abstraction layer and an interface to integrate simulators in NRP-core. Each engine represents a process in which a concrete instance of a simulator is running. For each of them there is a client side component in the simulation loop process interfacing the engine process for simulation control and data exchange.

* :ref:`Simulation Loop <doxid-simulation_loop>` : main loop where synchronization of engines, transmission of data and execution of transceiver functions happens.

.. image:: architecture_elements.png
	:width: 1122
	:align: center
	:alt: Architecture overview

.. toctree::
	:hidden:

	page_datapacks.rst
	page_engines.rst
	page_nrp_functions.rst
	page_preprocessing_function.rst
	page_simulation_loop.rst
	page_status_function.rst
	page_transceiver_function.rst

.. rubric:: Related Pages:

|	:doc:`page_datapacks`
|	:doc:`page_engines`
|	:doc:`page_nrp_functions`
|	:doc:`page_preprocessing_function`
|	:doc:`page_simulation_loop`
|	:doc:`page_status_function`
|	:doc:`page_transceiver_function`