server: refactor child --> router communication (ggml-org#24821)

ngxson · web-flow · commit 2b686a9120e2 · 2026-06-20T01:02:26.000+02:00
* server: refactor child --&gt; router communication

* fix wakeup case

* add docs

* improve update_status()

* nits
diff --git a/common/arg.cpp b/common/arg.cpp
@@ -303,7 +303,6 @@ static handle_model_result common_params_handle_model(struct common_params_model
 
     if (!model.docker_repo.empty()) {
         model.path = common_docker_resolve_model(model.docker_repo);
-        model.name = model.docker_repo;
     } else if (!model.hf_repo.empty()) {
         // If -m was used with -hf, treat the model "path" as the hf_file to download
         if (model.hf_file.empty() && !model.path.empty()) {
@@ -323,7 +322,6 @@ static handle_model_result common_params_handle_model(struct common_params_model
             throw std::runtime_error("failed to download model from Hugging Face");
         }
 
-        model.name = model.hf_repo;
         model.path = download_result.model_path;
 
         if (!download_result.mmproj_path.empty()) {
diff --git a/common/common.h b/common/common.h
@@ -295,7 +295,16 @@ struct common_params_model {
     std::string hf_repo     = ""; // HF repo                                                // NOLINT
     std::string hf_file     = ""; // HF file                                                // NOLINT
     std::string docker_repo = ""; // Docker repo                                            // NOLINT
-    std::string name        = ""; // in format <user>/<model>[:<tag>] (tag is optional)     // NOLINT
+
+    std::string get_name() {
+        if (!hf_repo.empty()) {
+            return hf_repo;
+        }
+        if (!docker_repo.empty()) {
+            return docker_repo;
+        }
+        return path;
+    }
 };
 
 // draft-model-based speculative decoding parameters
diff --git a/tools/server/README-dev.md b/tools/server/README-dev.md
@@ -180,6 +180,17 @@ That requires `JSON.stringify` when formatted to message content:
 }
 ```
 
+### Router mode: how child <--> router communicates
+
+Upon spawning a new child process using `subprocess`, both child and router listen to the stdout/stderr (combined)
+
+For the direction from child to router:
+- Generic messages are logs, it will be forwarded to router's stdout
+- Special state update messages are prefixed by `cmd_child_to_router:state:`, followed by a JSON. See `server_models::handle_child_state` for more
+
+For the direction from router to child:
+- When server sends `cmd_router_to_child:exit`, the child should exit gracefully --> if after `DEFAULT_STOP_TIMEOUT` and the child is still running, force-kill it
+
 ### Model management API (router mode)
 
 Model management API was added via PR [#23976](https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/pull/23976)
diff --git a/tools/server/server-context.cpp b/tools/server/server-context.cpp
@@ -63,11 +63,6 @@ enum slot_state {
     SLOT_STATE_GENERATING,
 };
 
-enum server_state {
-    SERVER_STATE_LOADING_MODEL,  // Server is starting up, model not fully loaded yet
-    SERVER_STATE_READY,          // Server is ready and model is loaded
-};
-
 struct server_slot {
     int id;
 
@@ -773,6 +768,8 @@ struct server_context_impl {
     // note: chat_params must not be refreshed upon existing sleeping state
     server_chat_params chat_params;
 
+    server_state_callback_t callback_state = [](server_state, json) -> void {};
+
     server_context_impl() {
         mtmd_helper_log_set(common_log_default_callback, nullptr);
     }
@@ -1244,8 +1241,8 @@ struct server_context_impl {
         if (!params_base.model_alias.empty()) {
             // backward compat: use first alias as model name
             model_name = *params_base.model_alias.begin();
-        } else if (!params_base.model.name.empty()) {
-            model_name = params_base.model.name;
+        } else if (!params_base.model.get_name().empty()) {
+            model_name = params_base.model.get_name();
         } else {
             // fallback: derive model name from file name
             auto model_path = std::filesystem::path(params_base.model.path);
@@ -3734,8 +3731,11 @@ struct server_res_generator : server_http_res {
     }
 };
 
-void server_context::on_sleeping_changed(std::function<void(bool)> callback) {
-    impl->queue_tasks.on_sleeping_state(std::move(callback));
+void server_context::set_state_callback(server_state_callback_t callback) {
+    impl->callback_state = std::move(callback);
+    impl->queue_tasks.on_sleeping_state([this](bool sleeping) {
+        impl->callback_state(sleeping ? SERVER_STATE_SLEEPING : SERVER_STATE_READY, {});
+    });
 }
 
 // compute the number of tokens before the last user message in the prompt
diff --git a/tools/server/server-context.h b/tools/server/server-context.h
@@ -52,6 +52,31 @@ struct server_context_meta {
     uint64_t model_size;
 };
 
+enum server_state {
+    // SERVER_STATE_DOWNLOADING,
+    SERVER_STATE_LOADING,
+    SERVER_STATE_READY,
+    SERVER_STATE_SLEEPING,
+};
+
+static std::string server_state_to_str(server_state state) {
+    switch (state) {
+        case SERVER_STATE_LOADING:     return "loading";
+        case SERVER_STATE_READY:       return "ready";
+        case SERVER_STATE_SLEEPING:    return "sleeping";
+        default: GGML_ASSERT(false && "invalid server_state");
+    }
+}
+
+static server_state server_state_from_str(const std::string & str) {
+    if (str == "loading")     return SERVER_STATE_LOADING;
+    if (str == "ready")       return SERVER_STATE_READY;
+    if (str == "sleeping")    return SERVER_STATE_SLEEPING;
+    GGML_ASSERT(false && "invalid server_state string");
+}
+
+using server_state_callback_t = std::function<void(server_state, json /* payload */)>;
+
 struct server_context {
     std::unique_ptr<server_context_impl> impl;
 
@@ -79,9 +104,8 @@ struct server_context {
     // not thread-safe, should only be used from the main thread
     server_context_meta get_meta() const;
 
-    // register a callback to be called when sleeping state changes
-    // must be set before load_model() is called
-    void on_sleeping_changed(std::function<void(bool)> callback);
+    // note: must be set before load_model() is called
+    void set_state_callback(server_state_callback_t callback);
 };
 
 
diff --git a/tools/server/server-models.cpp b/tools/server/server-models.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "server-common.h"
 #include "server-models.h"
+#include "server-context.h"
 
 #include "build-info.h"
 #include "preset.h"
@@ -44,9 +45,7 @@ extern char **environ;
 #define DEFAULT_STOP_TIMEOUT 10 // seconds
 
 #define CMD_ROUTER_TO_CHILD_EXIT  "cmd_router_to_child:exit"
-#define CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_READY "cmd_child_to_router:ready" // also sent when waking up from sleep
-#define CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_SLEEP "cmd_child_to_router:sleep"
-#define CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_INFO  "cmd_child_to_router:info:" // followed by json string
+#define CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_STATE "cmd_child_to_router:state:" // followed by json string
 
 // address for child process, this is needed because router may run on 0.0.0.0
 // ref: https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp/issues/17862
@@ -904,12 +903,8 @@ void server_models::load(const std::string & name) {
                 while (fgets(buffer, vec_buf.size(), stdout_file) != nullptr) {
                     LOG("[%5d] %s", port, buffer);
                     std::string str(buffer);
-                    if (string_starts_with(buffer, CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_READY)) {
-                        this->update_status(name, SERVER_MODEL_STATUS_LOADED, 0);
-                    } else if (string_starts_with(buffer, CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_INFO)) {
-                        this->update_loaded_info(name, str);
-                    } else if (string_starts_with(buffer, CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_SLEEP)) {
-                        this->update_status(name, SERVER_MODEL_STATUS_SLEEPING, 0);
+                    if (string_starts_with(buffer, CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_STATE)) {
+                        this->handle_child_state(name, str);
                     }
                 }
             } else {
@@ -976,7 +971,10 @@ void server_models::load(const std::string & name) {
         subprocess_destroy(&child_proc->get());
 
         // update status and exit code
-        this->update_status(name, SERVER_MODEL_STATUS_UNLOADED, exit_code);
+        this->update_status(name, {
+            SERVER_MODEL_STATUS_UNLOADED,
+            exit_code
+        });
         SRV_INF("instance name=%s exited with status %d\n", name.c_str(), exit_code);
     });
 
@@ -1016,7 +1014,8 @@ struct server_models_download_res : public common_download_callback {
             common_download_model(model, opts);
             is_ok = true;
         } catch (const std::exception & e) {
-            SRV_ERR("download failed for model name=%s: %s\n", model.name.c_str(), e.what());
+            auto model_name = model.get_name();
+            SRV_ERR("download failed for model name=%s: %s\n", model_name.c_str(), e.what());
             is_ok = false;
         }
         return is_ok;
@@ -1036,7 +1035,7 @@ struct server_models_download_res : public common_download_callback {
 };
 
 void server_models::download(common_params_model && model, common_download_opts && opts) {
-    std::string name = model.name;
+    std::string name = model.get_name();
     GGML_ASSERT(name == model.hf_repo);
 
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mutex);
@@ -1064,9 +1063,10 @@ void server_models::download(common_params_model && model, common_download_opts
     inst.th = std::thread([this, dl = std::move(dl)]() {
         dl->opts.callback = dl.get();
         bool ok = dl->run();
+        auto model_name = dl->model.get_name();
         SRV_INF("download finished for model name=%s with status=%s\n",
-                    dl->model.name.c_str(), ok ? "success" : "failure");
-        update_download_progress(dl->model.name, {}, true, ok);
+                    model_name.c_str(), ok ? "success" : "failure");
+        update_download_progress(model_name, {}, true, ok);
         // need_reload is set inside update_download_progress under the mutex;
         // the next load_models() call will clean up this instance
     });
@@ -1130,51 +1130,34 @@ void server_models::unload_all() {
     }
 }
 
-void server_models::update_status(const std::string & name, server_model_status status, int exit_code) {
+void server_models::update_status(const std::string & name, const update_status_args & args) {
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mutex);
     auto it = mapping.find(name);
     if (it != mapping.end()) {
         auto & meta = it->second.meta;
-        meta.status    = status;
-        meta.exit_code = exit_code;
+        meta.status      = args.status;
+        meta.exit_code   = args.exit_code;
+        if (!args.loaded_info.is_null()) {
+            meta.loaded_info = args.loaded_info;
+        }
     }
     // broadcast status change to SSE
     {
         json data = {
-            {"status", server_model_status_to_string(status)},
+            {"status", server_model_status_to_string(args.status)},
         };
-        if (status == SERVER_MODEL_STATUS_UNLOADED) {
-            data["exit_code"] = exit_code;
+        if (args.status == SERVER_MODEL_STATUS_UNLOADED) {
+            data["exit_code"] = args.exit_code;
+        }
+        if (!args.loaded_info.is_null()) {
+            data["info"] = args.loaded_info;
         }
         // note: notify_sse doesn't acquire the lock, so no deadlock here
         notify_sse("status_change", name, data);
     }
     cv.notify_all();
 }
 
-void server_models::update_loaded_info(const std::string & name, std::string & raw_info) {
-    if (!string_starts_with(raw_info, CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_INFO)) {
-        SRV_WRN("invalid loaded info format from child for model name=%s: %s\n", name.c_str(), raw_info.c_str());
-        return;
-    }
-
-    json info;
-    try {
-        info = json::parse(raw_info.substr(strlen(CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_INFO)));
-    } catch (const std::exception & e) {
-        SRV_WRN("failed to parse loaded info from child for model name=%s: %s\n", name.c_str(), e.what());
-        return;
-    }
-
-    std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lk(mutex);
-    auto it = mapping.find(name);
-    if (it != mapping.end()) {
-        auto & meta = it->second.meta;
-        meta.loaded_info = info;
-    }
-    cv.notify_all();
-}
-
 void server_models::update_download_progress(const std::string & name, const common_download_progress & progress, bool done, bool ok) {
     json curr;
     {
@@ -1323,21 +1306,54 @@ server_http_res_ptr server_models::proxy_request(const server_http_req & req, co
     return proxy;
 }
 
-bool server_models::is_child_server() {
+void server_models::handle_child_state(const std::string & name, const std::string & raw_input) {
+    server_state state;
+    json payload;
+
+    try {
+        json data = json::parse(raw_input.substr(strlen(CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_STATE)));
+        state = server_state_from_str(json_value(data, "state", std::string()));
+        payload = json_value(data, "payload", json{});
+    } catch (const std::exception & e) {
+        SRV_ERR("failed to parse child state update for name=%s: %s\n", name.c_str(), e.what());
+        return;
+    }
+
+    switch (state) {
+        case SERVER_STATE_LOADING:
+            {
+                // do nothing for now
+                // TODO: report loading progress for first load and wakeup from sleep
+            } break;
+        case SERVER_STATE_READY:
+            {
+                update_status(name, {
+                    SERVER_MODEL_STATUS_LOADED,
+                    0,
+                    // note: payload can be empty if this is a wakeup from sleep
+                    payload.size() > 0 ? payload : nullptr
+                });
+            } break;
+        case SERVER_STATE_SLEEPING:
+            {
+                update_status(name, { SERVER_MODEL_STATUS_SLEEPING });
+            } break;
+        default:
+            // should never happen, but just in case
+            GGML_ASSERT(false && "unexpected state from child server");
+    }
+}
+
+//
+// server_child
+//
+
+bool server_child::is_child() {
     const char * router_port = std::getenv("LLAMA_SERVER_ROUTER_PORT");
     return router_port != nullptr;
 }
 
-std::thread server_models::setup_child_server(const std::function<void(int)> & shutdown_handler, const json & model_info) {
-    // send a notification to the router server that a model instance is ready
-    common_log_pause(common_log_main());
-    fflush(stdout);
-    fprintf(stdout, "%s\n", CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_READY);
-    fflush(stdout);
-    fprintf(stdout, "%s%s\n", CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_INFO, safe_json_to_str(model_info).c_str());
-    fflush(stdout);
-    common_log_resume(common_log_main());
-
+std::thread server_child::setup(const std::function<void(int)> & shutdown_handler) {
     // setup thread for monitoring stdin
     return std::thread([shutdown_handler]() {
         // wait for EOF on stdin
@@ -1363,10 +1379,14 @@ std::thread server_models::setup_child_server(const std::function<void(int)> & s
     });
 }
 
-void server_models::notify_router_sleeping_state(bool is_sleeping) {
+void server_child::notify_to_router(const std::string & state, const json & payload) {
+    json data = {
+        {"state", state},
+        {"payload", payload},
+    };
     common_log_pause(common_log_main());
     fflush(stdout);
-    fprintf(stdout, "%s\n", is_sleeping ? CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_SLEEP : CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_READY);
+    fprintf(stdout, "%s%s\n", CMD_CHILD_TO_ROUTER_STATE, safe_json_to_str(data).c_str());
     fflush(stdout);
     common_log_resume(common_log_main());
 }
@@ -1644,7 +1664,6 @@ void server_models_routes::init_routes() {
         common_params_model model;
         common_download_opts opts;
 
-        model.name           = name;
         model.hf_repo        = name;
         opts.bearer_token    = params.hf_token;
         opts.download_mmproj = true;
diff --git a/tools/server/server-models.h b/tools/server/server-models.h
diff --git a/tools/server/server.cpp b/tools/server/server.cpp
