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Overview

tofu is a protocol and an asynchronous Zig messaging library used to:

  • Build custom communication flows.
  • Create non-blocking systems.
  • Enable peer-to-peer messaging between applications.

tofu is a completely new project. It is not a port of old code, and it does not use any C libraries. It is built 100% in native Zig. The core functionality uses only the standard library.

Why tofu?

As a food, tofu is simple and doesn’t have much flavor on its own.
With tofu cubes, you can:

  • Eat them plain as an easy snack.
  • Add some spice to make them better.
  • Cook up something really tasty.

As a protocol, tofu uses messages like cubes. By "cooking" these messages together, you can grow your project:

  • Start with minimal setups.
  • Build complex flows.
  • Create full distributed applications.

Remember

tofu is as good as you are a cook.

A Bit of History

tofu did not come from nowhere.

The journey began in 2008 when I first built a similar system. I maintained and ran that system for many years in high-stakes environments. It powered everything from basic IPC to complex data transfers in a custom distributed file system.

I left that project a few years ago, but I haven't heard any complaints yet — the systems are still running strong.

Corporate lawyers can stay calm: I didn't take any code. I only took the "smell." (See the precedent case about paying for a smell).

By "smell," I mean the core philosophy:

  • The Message is the API: The data itself defines the connection.
  • Gradual Evolution: Start with something simple and grow it into a powerful system over time.
  • The Mantra: "Connect your developers. Then connect your applications."

Credits

Last but not least

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