Add configurable communication type: Unix vs TCP sockets

- Add comm_type configuration option (unix/tcp, default unix)
- Command line argument --comm-type for runtime selection
- Web configuration page includes communication type selection
- SocketCommunicator and SocketServer support both Unix and TCP
- Updated all processes to use configured communication type
- Documentation updated to reflect both socket types
- Unix sockets provide better performance for local communication

.gitignore

@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ vidai-training-*
 # Result files
 /tmp/vidai_results/
 
+# Unix socket files
+/tmp/vidai_*.sock
+
 # Config (but keep structure)
 /home/*/.config/vidai/
 ~/.config/vidai/
\ No newline at end of file

README.md

@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ Options:
 - `--flash`: Enable Flash Attention 2
 - `--analysis-backend {cuda,rocm}`: Backend for analysis
 - `--training-backend {cuda,rocm}`: Backend for training
+- `--comm-type {unix,tcp}`: Communication type for inter-process communication (default: unix)
 - `--host HOST`: Host to bind server to (default: 0.0.0.0)
 - `--port PORT`: Port to bind server to (default: 5000)
 - `--debug`: Enable debug mode
@@ -101,10 +102,15 @@ Use the built executables from `dist/` directory.
 
 ## API
 
-The backend communicates via TCP sockets:
+The backend communicates via configurable socket types for inter-process communication:
 
-- Web interface: localhost:5001
-- Workers: localhost:5002
+**Unix Domain Sockets (default, recommended for performance):**
+- Web interface: `/tmp/vidai_web.sock`
+- Workers: `/tmp/vidai_workers.sock`
+
+**TCP Sockets (for compatibility):**
+- Web interface: `localhost:5001`
+- Workers: `localhost:5002`
 
 Message format: JSON with `msg_type`, `msg_id`, and `data` fields.
 

docs/architecture.md

@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ The Video AI Analysis Tool is designed as a multi-process application to provide
 
 ### Communication Protocol
 
-All inter-process communication uses TCP sockets with JSON messages:
+All inter-process communication uses Unix domain sockets with JSON messages for optimal local performance:
 
 ```json
 {

vidai.py

@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@ from vidai.config import (
     get_config, set_config, get_default_model, set_default_model,
     get_analysis_backend, set_analysis_backend, get_training_backend, set_training_backend,
     get_optimize, set_optimize, get_ffmpeg, set_ffmpeg, get_flash, set_flash,
-    get_host, set_host, get_port, set_port, get_debug, set_debug, get_allowed_dir, set_allowed_dir
+    get_host, set_host, get_port, set_port, get_debug, set_debug, get_allowed_dir, set_allowed_dir,
+    get_comm_type, set_comm_type
 )
 
 def main():
@@ -108,6 +109,13 @@ Examples:
         help=f'Backend for training (default: {default_training_backend})'
     )
 
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--comm-type',
+        choices=['unix', 'tcp'],
+        default=get_comm_type(),
+        help='Communication type for inter-process communication (default: unix)'
+    )
+
     parser.add_argument(
         '--host',
         default=default_host,
@@ -138,6 +146,7 @@ Examples:
     set_flash(args.flash)
     set_analysis_backend(args.analysis_backend)
     set_training_backend(args.training_backend)
+    set_comm_type(args.comm_type)
     set_host(args.host)
     set_port(args.port)
     set_debug(args.debug)

vidai/backend.py

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Manages request routing between web interface and worker processes.
 import time
 import threading
 from .comm import SocketServer, Message
-from .config import get_analysis_backend, get_training_backend, set_analysis_backend, set_training_backend
+from .config import get_analysis_backend, get_training_backend, set_analysis_backend, set_training_backend, get_comm_type
 
 
 worker_sockets = {}  # type: dict
@@ -105,13 +105,25 @@ def backend_process() -> None:
     """Main backend process loop."""
     print("Starting Video AI Backend...")
 
-    # Start web server on port 5001
-    web_server = SocketServer(port=5001)
-    web_server.start(handle_web_message)
-
-    # Start worker server on port 5002
-    worker_server = SocketServer(port=5002)
-    worker_server.start(worker_message_handler)
+    comm_type = get_comm_type()
+    print(f"Using {comm_type} sockets for communication")
+
+    if comm_type == 'unix':
+        # Start web server on Unix socket
+        web_server = SocketServer(socket_path='/tmp/vidai_web.sock', comm_type='unix')
+        web_server.start(handle_web_message)
+
+        # Start worker server on Unix socket
+        worker_server = SocketServer(socket_path='/tmp/vidai_workers.sock', comm_type='unix')
+        worker_server.start(worker_message_handler)
+    else:
+        # Start web server on TCP
+        web_server = SocketServer(host='localhost', port=5001, comm_type='tcp')
+        web_server.start(handle_web_message)
+
+        # Start worker server on TCP
+        worker_server = SocketServer(host='localhost', port=5002, comm_type='tcp')
+        worker_server.start(worker_message_handler)
 
     try:
         while True:

vidai/comm.py

@@ -36,17 +36,25 @@ class Message:
 
 
 class SocketCommunicator:
-    """Handles socket-based communication."""
-
-    def __init__(self, host: str = 'localhost', port: int = 5001):
-        self.host = host
-        self.port = port
+    """Handles socket-based communication using Unix domain or TCP sockets."""
+
+    def __init__(self, socket_path: str = '/tmp/vidai_web.sock', host: str = 'localhost', port: int = 5001, comm_type: str = 'unix'):
+        self.comm_type = comm_type
+        if comm_type == 'unix':
+            self.socket_path = socket_path
+        else:
+            self.host = host
+            self.port = port
         self.sock: Optional[socket.socket] = None
 
     def connect(self) -> None:
         """Connect to the server."""
-        self.sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
-        self.sock.connect((self.host, self.port))
+        if self.comm_type == 'unix':
+            self.sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+            self.sock.connect(self.socket_path)
+        else:
+            self.sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+            self.sock.connect((self.host, self.port))
 
     def send_message(self, message: Message) -> None:
         """Send a message."""
@@ -81,11 +89,15 @@ class SocketCommunicator:
 
 
 class SocketServer:
-    """Simple socket server for handling connections."""
-
-    def __init__(self, host: str = 'localhost', port: int = 5001):
-        self.host = host
-        self.port = port
+    """Simple socket server for handling connections (Unix or TCP)."""
+
+    def __init__(self, socket_path: str = '/tmp/vidai_backend.sock', host: str = 'localhost', port: int = 5001, comm_type: str = 'unix'):
+        self.comm_type = comm_type
+        if comm_type == 'unix':
+            self.socket_path = socket_path
+        else:
+            self.host = host
+            self.port = port
         self.server_sock: Optional[socket.socket] = None
         self.running = False
         self.message_handler = None
@@ -93,9 +105,22 @@ class SocketServer:
     def start(self, message_handler) -> None:
         """Start the server."""
         self.message_handler = message_handler
-        self.server_sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
-        self.server_sock.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_REUSEADDR, 1)
-        self.server_sock.bind((self.host, self.port))
+        if self.comm_type == 'unix':
+            # Clean up any existing socket file
+            try:
+                os.unlink(self.socket_path)
+            except OSError:
+                pass
+
+            self.server_sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_UNIX, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+            self.server_sock.bind(self.socket_path)
+            # Set permissions so other users can connect
+            os.chmod(self.socket_path, 0o666)
+        else:
+            self.server_sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
+            self.server_sock.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_REUSEADDR, 1)
+            self.server_sock.bind((self.host, self.port))
+
         self.server_sock.listen(5)
         self.running = True
         threading.Thread(target=self._accept_loop, daemon=True).start()
@@ -145,4 +170,10 @@ class SocketServer:
         """Stop the server."""
         self.running = False
         if self.server_sock:
-            self.server_sock.close()
\ No newline at end of file
+            self.server_sock.close()
+        if self.comm_type == 'unix':
+            # Clean up socket file
+            try:
+                os.unlink(self.socket_path)
+            except OSError:
+                pass
\ No newline at end of file

vidai/config.py

@@ -143,6 +143,16 @@ def set_allowed_dir(dir_path: str) -> None:
     set_config('allowed_dir', dir_path)
 
 
+def get_comm_type() -> str:
+    """Get communication type."""
+    return get_config('comm_type', 'unix')
+
+
+def set_comm_type(comm_type: str) -> None:
+    """Set communication type."""
+    set_config('comm_type', comm_type)
+
+
 def get_all_settings() -> dict:
     """Get all configuration settings."""
     config = get_all_config()
@@ -158,5 +168,6 @@ def get_all_settings() -> dict:
         'port': int(config.get('port', '5000')),
         'debug': config.get('debug', 'false').lower() == 'true',
         'allowed_dir': config.get('allowed_dir', ''),
+        'comm_type': config.get('comm_type', 'unix'),
         'system_prompt': get_system_prompt_content()
     }
\ No newline at end of file

vidai/database.py

@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ def init_db(conn: sqlite3.Connection) -> None:
         'host': '0.0.0.0',
         'port': '5000',
         'debug': 'false',
-        'allowed_dir': ''
+        'allowed_dir': '',
+        'comm_type': 'unix'
     }
 
     for key, value in defaults.items():

vidai/web.py

@@ -26,13 +26,17 @@ import json
 import uuid
 import time
 from .comm import SocketCommunicator, Message
-from .config import get_system_prompt_content, set_system_prompt_content, get_all_settings, set_analysis_backend, set_training_backend, set_default_model, set_frame_interval
+from .config import get_system_prompt_content, set_system_prompt_content, get_all_settings, set_analysis_backend, set_training_backend, set_default_model, set_frame_interval, get_comm_type, set_comm_type
 
 app = Flask(__name__)
 os.makedirs('static', exist_ok=True)
 
 # Communicator to backend
-comm = SocketCommunicator(port=5001)
+comm_type = get_comm_type()
+if comm_type == 'unix':
+    comm = SocketCommunicator(socket_path='/tmp/vidai_web.sock', comm_type='unix')
+else:
+    comm = SocketCommunicator(host='localhost', port=5001, comm_type='tcp')
 comm.connect()
 
 def send_to_backend(msg_type: str, data: dict) -> str:
@@ -192,6 +196,7 @@ def config():
         # Update local config
         set_analysis_backend(request.form.get('analysis_backend', 'cuda'))
         set_training_backend(request.form.get('training_backend', 'cuda'))
+        set_comm_type(request.form.get('comm_type', 'unix'))
         set_default_model(request.form.get('default_model', 'Qwen/Qwen2.5-VL-7B-Instruct'))
         set_frame_interval(int(request.form.get('frame_interval', 10)))
 
@@ -239,6 +244,12 @@ def config():
                         <option value="rocm" {"selected" if current_config['training_backend'] == 'rocm' else ""}>ROCm</option>
                     </select>
                 </label>
+                <label>Communication Type:
+                    <select name="comm_type">
+                        <option value="unix" {"selected" if current_config['comm_type'] == 'unix' else ""}>Unix Socket</option>
+                        <option value="tcp" {"selected" if current_config['comm_type'] == 'tcp' else ""}>TCP Socket</option>
+                    </select>
+                </label>
                 <label>Default Model: <input type="text" name="default_model" value="{current_config['default_model']}"></label>
                 <label>Frame Interval (seconds): <input type="number" name="frame_interval" value="{current_config['frame_interval']}" min="1"></label>
                 <input type="submit" value="Save Configuration">

vidai/worker_analysis.py

@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ import json
 import cv2
 import time
 from .comm import SocketCommunicator, Message
-from .config import get_system_prompt_content
+from .config import get_system_prompt_content, get_comm_type
 
 # Set PyTorch CUDA memory management
 os.environ['PYTORCH_CUDA_ALLOC_CONF'] = 'expandable_segments:True'
@@ -174,7 +174,11 @@ def worker_process(backend_type: str):
     """Main worker process."""
     print(f"Starting Analysis Worker for {backend_type}...")
 
-    comm = SocketCommunicator(port=5002)
+    comm_type = get_comm_type()
+    if comm_type == 'unix':
+        comm = SocketCommunicator(socket_path='/tmp/vidai_workers.sock', comm_type='unix')
+    else:
+        comm = SocketCommunicator(host='localhost', port=5002, comm_type='tcp')
     comm.connect()
 
     # Register with backend

vidai/worker_training.py

@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import shutil
 import json
 import time
 from .comm import SocketCommunicator, Message
+from .config import get_comm_type
 
 def train_model(train_path, output_model, description):
     """Perform training."""
@@ -46,7 +47,11 @@ def worker_process(backend_type: str):
     """Main worker process."""
     print(f"Starting Training Worker for {backend_type}...")
 
-    comm = SocketCommunicator(port=5002)
+    comm_type = get_comm_type()
+    if comm_type == 'unix':
+        comm = SocketCommunicator(socket_path='/tmp/vidai_workers.sock', comm_type='unix')
+    else:
+        comm = SocketCommunicator(host='localhost', port=5002, comm_type='tcp')
     comm.connect()
 
     # Register with backend