When do I have to use boost::asio:strand

Question

Reading the document of boost::asio, it is still not clear when I need to use asio::strand. Suppose that I have one thread using io_service is it then safe to write on a socket as follows ?

void Connection::write(boost::shared_ptr<string> msg)
{
    _io_service.post(boost::bind(&Connection::_do_write,this,msg));
}

void Connection::_do_write(boost::shared_ptr<string> msg)
{
    if(_write_in_progress)
    {
      _msg_queue.push_back(msg);
    }
    else
    {
      _write_in_progress=true;
      boost::asio::async_write(_socket, boost::asio::buffer(*(msg.get())),
      boost::bind(&Connection::_handle_write,this,
             boost::asio::placeholders::error));
    }
}

void Connection::_handle_write(boost::system::error_code const &error)
{
  if(!error)
  {
    if(!_msg_queue.empty())
    {
          boost::shared_ptr<string> msg=_msg_queue.front();
      _msg_queue.pop_front();
      boost::asio::async_write(_socket, boost::asio::buffer(*(msg.get())),
           boost::bind(&Connection::_handle_write,this,
                   boost::asio::placeholders::error));
        }
    else
    {
      _write_in_progress=false;
    }
  }
}

Where multiple threads calls Connection::write(..) or do I have to use asio::strand ?

Answer 1

Short answer: no, you don't have to use a strand in this case.

Broadly simplificated, an io_service contains a list of function objects (handlers). Handlers are put into the list when post() is called on the service. e.g. whenever an asynchronous operation completes, the handler and its arguments are put into the list. io_service::run() executes one handler after another. So if there is only one thread calling run() like in your case, there are no synchronisation problems and no strands are needed.
Only if multiple threads call run() on the same io_service, multiple handlers will be executed at the same time, in N threads up to N concurrent handlers. If that is a problem, e.g. if there might be two handlers in the queue at the same time that access the same object, you need the strand.
You can see the strand as a kind of lock for a group of handlers. If a thread executes a handler associated to a strand, that strand gets locked, and it gets released after the handler is done. Any other thread can execute only handlers that are not associated to a locked strand.

Caution: this explanation may be over-simplified and technically not accurate, but it gives a basic concept of what happens in the io_service and of the strands.

Answer 2

Calling io_service::run() from only one thread will cause all event handlers to execute within the thread, regardless of how many threads are invoking Connection::write(...). Therefore, with no possible concurrent execution of handlers, it is safe. The documentation refers to this as an implicit strand.

On the other hand, if multiple threads are invoking io_service::run(), then a strand would become necessary. This answer covers strands in much more detail.