The Interface Definition Language (IDL) serves to define contracts between client and server processes in distributed systems. It enables communication between applications developed in different programming languages or running in separate address spaces.
The concept of Remote Procedure Call (RPC), introduced by Bruce Jay Nelson in 1981, facilitates this interaction. It allows a client to invoke methods on a server as if they were local, hiding the underlying implementation details and transport mechanisms.
IDL compilers generate source-level stubs for both client and server sides. These stubs encapsulate the non-local nature of the procedure calls, allowing developers to focus on the interface logic while the stubs handle the communication.
Data transmission requires marshalling, where parameters are serialized into a format suitable for the communication channel, and unmarshalling, where the receiving side reconstructs the data. This process ensures language-independent data exchange.
