hlclock

defmodule HLClock do
  @moduledoc """

  Hybrid Logical Clock

  Provides globally-unique, monotonic timestamps. Timestamps are bounded by the
  clock synchronization constraint, max_drift.

  In order to account for physical time drift within the system, timestamps
  should regularly be exchanged between nodes. Generate a timestamp at one node
  via HLClock.send_timestamp/1; at the other node, call HLClock.recv_timestamp/2
  with the received timestamp from the first node.

  Inspired by https://www.cse.buffalo.edu/tech-reports/2014-04.pdf
  """

  alias HLClock.Timestamp

  @doc """
  Generate a single HLC Timestamp for sending to other nodes or
  local causality tracking
  """
  def send_timestamp do
    GenServer.call(HLClock.Server, :send_timestamp)
  end

  @doc """
  Given the current timestamp for this node and a provided remote timestamp,
  perform the merge of both logical time and logical counters. Returns the new
  current timestamp for the local node
  """
  def recv_timestamp(remote) do
    GenServer.call(HLClock.Server, {:recv_timestamp, remote})
  end

  @doc """
  Functionally equivalent to using send_timestamp. This generates a timestamp
  for local causality tracking.
  """
  def now do
    GenServer.call(HLClock.Server, :send_timestamp)
  end

  @doc """
  Configurable clock synchronization parameter, ε. Defaults to 300 seconds
  """
  def max_drift(), do: Application.get_env(:hlclock, :max_drift_millis, 300_000)

  @doc """
  Determines if the clock's timestamp "happened before" a different timestamp
  """
  def before?(t1, t2) do
    Timestamp.before?(t1, t2)
  end
end