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# Flecs Quickstart
This document provides a quick overview of the different features and concepts in Flecs with short examples. This is a good resource if you're just getting started or just want to get a better idea of what kind of features are available in Flecs!
## Building Flecs
To use Flecs, copy the [flecs.c](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SanderMertens/flecs/master/flecs.c) and [flecs.h](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SanderMertens/flecs/master/flecs.h) files from the repository root to your project's source folder. When building, make sure your build system is setup to do the following:
- If it is a C++ project, make sure to compile [flecs.c](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SanderMertens/flecs/master/flecs.c) as C code, for example by using `gcc`/`clang` instead of `g++`/`clang++`.
- If you are building on Windows and you're not using the Microsoft Visual Studio compiler, make sure to add `-lWs2_32` to **the end(!)** of the linker command. The socket API is used for connecting to Flecs explorer.
- When compiling Flecs with `gcc`/`clang`, add `-std=gnu99` to the compiler command. This ensures that addons that rely on time & socket functions are compiled correctly.
- C++ files that use Flecs must be compiled with `-std=c++0x` (C++11) or higher.
### Dynamic linking
To build Flecs as a dynamic library, remove this line from the top of the [flecs.h](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SanderMertens/flecs/master/flecs.h) file:
```c
#define flecs_STATIC
```
When compiling [flecs.c](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/SanderMertens/flecs/master/flecs.c), make sure to define `flecs_EXPORTS`, for example by adding `-Dflecs_EXPORTS` to the compiler command.
Alternatively Flecs can also be built as a dynamic library with the cmake, meson, bazel or [bake](https://github.com/SanderMertens/bake) build files provided in the repository. These use the files from `src` to build as opposed to the amalgamated files, which is better suited for development.
### Building with CMake
Locate `flecs` on your system (either by cloning or as a submodule) and use `add_subdirectory` or use `FetchContent` to download the source code from the master branch of the [flecs repository](https://github.com/SanderMertens/flecs). After that, add the following to your `CMakeLists.txt` file:
```cmake
target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} flecs::flecs_static)
```
### Building with Bake
Download or `git clone` the [flecs repository](https://github.com/SanderMertens/flecs) and run `bake` from inside the directory. After that, add the following to your `project.json` file's value property:
```json
"use": ["flecs"]
```
### Running tests (bake)
First make sure you have [bake](https://github.com/SanderMertens/bake) installed (see the bake repository for instructions).
Run the following commands to run all tests (use `-j` to specify the number of threads):
```bash
# Core test suite
bake run test/api -- -j 4
# Addon tests
bake run test/addons -- -j 4
# Reflection tests
bake run test/meta -- -j 4
# C++ tests
bake run test/cpp_api -- -j 4
```
To run tests with asan enabled, add `--cfg sanitize` to the command:
```bash
bake run --cfg sanitize test/api -- -j 4
```
#### Running tests (cmake, experimental)
First make sure to clone [bake](https://github.com/SanderMertens/bake).
Run the following commands to run all the tests:
```bash
# Generate make files for Flecs and tests
cmake -DFLECS_TESTS=ON -DBAKE_DIRECTORY="path to cloned bake repository"
# Build flecs and test suites
cmake --build . -j 4
# Run the tests
ctest -C Debug --verbose
```
### Emscripten
When building for emscripten, add the following command line options to the `emcc` link command:
```bash
-s ALLOW_MEMORY_GROWTH=1
-s STACK_SIZE=1mb
-s EXPORTED_RUNTIME_METHODS=cwrap
-s MODULARIZE=1
-s EXPORT_NAME="my_app"
```
### Addons
Flecs has a modular architecture that makes it easy to only build the features you really need. By default all addons are built. To customize a build, first define `FLECS_CUSTOM_BUILD`, then add defines for the addons you need. For example:
```c
#define FLECS_CUSTOM_BUILD // Don't build all addons
#define FLECS_SYSTEM // Build FLECS_SYSTEM
```
Additionally, you can also specify addons to exclude from a build by adding `NO` to the define:
```c
#define FLECS_NO_LOG
```
The following addons can be configured:
Addon | Description | Define |
--------------|--------------------------------------------------|---------------------|
[Cpp](/flecs/group__cpp.html) | C++11 API | FLECS_CPP |
[Module](/flecs/group__c__addons__module.html) | Organize game logic into reusable modules | FLECS_MODULE |
[System](flecs/group__c__addons__system.html) | Create & run systems | FLECS_SYSTEM |
[Pipeline](/flecs/group__c__addons__pipeline.html) | Automatically schedule & multithread systems | FLECS_PIPELINE |
[Timer](/flecs/group__c__addons__timer.html) | Run systems at time intervals or at a rate | FLECS_TIMER |
[Meta](/flecs/group__c__addons__meta.html) | Flecs reflection system | FLECS_META |
[Meta_C](/flecs/group__c__addons__meta__c.html) | (C) Utilities for auto-inserting reflection data | FLECS_META_C |
[Units](/flecs/group__c__addons__units.html) | Builtin unit types | FLECS_UNITS |
[Expr](/flecs/group__c__addons__expr.html) | String format optimized for ECS data | FLECS_EXPR |
[JSON](/flecs/group__c__addons__json.html) | JSON format | FLECS_JSON |
[Doc](/flecs/group__c__addons__doc.html) | Add documentation to components, systems & more | FLECS_DOC |
[Coredoc](/flecs/group__c__addons__coredoc.html) | Documentation for builtin components & modules | FLECS_COREDOC |
[Http](/flecs/group__c__addons__http.html) | Tiny HTTP server for processing simple requests | FLECS_HTTP |
[Rest](/flecs/group__c__addons__rest.html) | REST API for showing entities in the browser | FLECS_REST |
[Parser](/flecs/group__c__addons__parser.html) | Create entities & queries from strings | FLECS_PARSER |
[Plecs](/flecs/group__c__addons__plecs.html) | Small utility language for asset/scene loading | FLECS_PLECS |
[Rules](/flecs/group__c__addons__rules.html) | Powerful prolog-like query language | FLECS_RULES |
[Snapshot](/flecs/group__c__addons__snapshot.html) | Take snapshots of the world & restore them | FLECS_SNAPSHOT |
[Stats](/flecs/group__c__addons__stats.html) | Functions for collecting statistics | FLECS_STATS |
[Monitor](/flecs/group__c__addons__monitor.html) | Periodically collect & store flecs statistics | FLECS_MONITOR |
[Metrics](/flecs/group__c__addons__metrics.html) | Create metrics from user-defined components | FLECS_METRICS |
[Alerts](/flecs/group__c__addons__alerts.html) | Create alerts from user-defined queries | FLECS_ALERTS |
[Log](/flecs/group__c__addons__log.html) | Extended tracing and error logging | FLECS_LOG |
[Journal](/flecs/group__c__addons__journal.html) | Journaling of API functions | FLECS_JOURNAL |
[App](/flecs/group__c__addons__app.html) | Flecs application framework | FLECS_APP |
[OS API Impl](/flecs/group__c__addons__os__api__impl.html) | Default OS API implementation for Posix/Win32 | FLECS_OS_API_IMPL |
## Concepts
This section contains an overview of all the different concepts in Flecs and how they wire together. The sections in the quickstart go over them in more detail and with code examples.
![Flecs Overview](img/flecs-quickstart-overview.png)
### World
The world is the container for all ECS data. It stores the entities and their components, does queries and runs systems. Typically there is only a single world, but there is no limit on the number of worlds an application can create.
```c
ecs_world_t *world = ecs_init();
// Do the ECS stuff
ecs_fini(world);
```
```cpp
flecs::world world;
// Do the ECS stuff
```
### Entity
An entity is a unique thing in the world, and is represented by a 64 bit id. Entities can be created and deleted. If an entity is deleted it is no longer considered "alive". A world can contain up to 4 billion(!) alive entities. Entity identifiers contain a few bits that make it possible to check whether an entity is alive or not.
```c
ecs_entity_t e = ecs_new_id(world);
ecs_is_alive(world, e); // true!
ecs_delete(world, e);
ecs_is_alive(world, e); // false!
```
```cpp
auto e = world.entity();
e.is_alive(); // true!
e.destruct();
e.is_alive(); // false!
```
Entities can have names which makes it easier to identify them in an application. In C++ the name can be passed to the constructor. In C a name can be assigned with the `ecs_entity_init` function/`ecs_entity` macro. If a name is provided during entity creation time and an entity with that name already exists, the existing entity will be returned.
```c
ecs_entity_t e = ecs_entity(world, { .name = "Bob" });
printf("Entity name: %s\n", ecs_get_name(world, e));
```
```cpp
auto e = world.entity("Bob");
std::cout << "Entity name: " << e.name() << std::endl;
```
Entities can be looked up by name with the `lookup` function:
```c
ecs_entity_t e = ecs_lookup(world, "Bob");
```
```cpp
auto e = world.lookup("Bob");
```
### Id
An id is a 64 bit number that can encode anything that can be added to an entity. In flecs this can be either a component, tag or a pair. A component is data that can be added to an entity. A tag is an "empty" component. A pair is a combination of two component/tag ids which is used to encode entity relationships. All entity/component/tag identifiers are valid ids, but not all ids are valid entity identifier.
The following sections describe components, tags and pairs in more detail.
### Component
A component is a type of which instances can be added and removed to entities. Each component can be added only once to an entity (though not really, see [Pair](#pair)). In C applications components must be registered before use. In C++ this happens automatically.
```c
ECS_COMPONENT(world, Position);
ECS_COMPONENT(world, Velocity);
ecs_entity_t e = ecs_new_id(world);
// Add a component. This creates the component in the ECS storage, but does not
// assign it with a value.
ecs_add(world, e, Velocity);
// Set the value for the Position & Velocity components. A component will be
// added if the entity doesn't have it yet.
ecs_set(world, e, Position, {10, 20});
ecs_set(world, e, Velocity, {1, 2});
// Get a component
const Position *p = ecs_get(world, e, Position);
// Remove component
ecs_remove(world, e, Position);
```
```cpp
auto e = world.entity();
// Add a component. This creates the component in the ECS storage, but does not
// assign it with a value.
e.add<Velocity>();
// Set the value for the Position & Velocity components. A component will be
// added if the entity doesn't have it yet.
e.set<Position>({10, 20})
.set<Velocity>({1, 2});
// Get a component
const Position *p = e.get<Position>();
// Remove component
e.remove<Position>();
```
Each component is associated by a unique entity identifier by Flecs. This makes it possible to inspect component data, or attach your own data to components. C applications can use the `ecs_id` macro to get the entity id for a component. C++ applications can use the `world::id` function:
```c
ECS_COMPONENT(world, Position);
ecs_entity_t pos_e = ecs_id(Position);
printf("Name: %s\n", ecs_get_name(world, pos_e)); // outputs 'Name: Position'
// It's possible to add components like you would for any entity
ecs_add(world, pos_e, Serializable);
```
```cpp
flecs::entity pos_e = world.entity<Position>();
std::cout << "Name: " << pos_e.name() << std::endl; // outputs 'Name: Position'
// It's possible to add components like you would for any entity
pos_e.add<Serializable>();
```
The thing that makes an ordinary entity a component is the `EcsComponent` (or `flecs::Component`, in C++) component. This is a builtin component that tells Flecs how much space is needed to store a component, and can be inspected by applications:
```c
ECS_COMPONENT(world, Position);
ecs_entity_t pos_e = ecs_id(Position);
const EcsComponent *c = ecs_get(world, pos_e, EcsComponent);
printf("Component size: %u\n", c->size);
```
```cpp
flecs::entity pos_e = world.entity<Position>();
const EcsComponent *c = pos_e.get<flecs::Component>();
std::cout << "Component size: " << c->size << std::endl;
```
Because components are stored as regular entities, they can in theory also be deleted. To prevent unexpected accidents however, by default components are registered with a tag that prevents them from being deleted. If this tag were to be removed, deleting a component would cause it to be removed from all entities. For more information on these policies, see [Relationship cleanup properties](Relationships.md#cleanup-properties).
### Tag
A tag is a component that does not have any data. In Flecs tags can be either empty types (in C++) or regular entities (C & C++) that do not have the `EcsComponent` component (or have an `EcsComponent` component with size 0). Tags can be added & removed using the same APIs as adding & removing components, but because tags have no data, they cannot be assigned a value. Because tags (like components) are regular entities, they can be created & deleted at runtime.
```c
// Create Enemy tag
ecs_entity_t Enemy = ecs_new_id(world);
// Create entity, add Enemy tag
ecs_entity_t e = ecs_new_id(world);
ecs_add_id(world, e, Enemy);
ecs_has_id(world, e, Enemy); // true!
ecs_remove_id(world, e, Enemy);
ecs_has_id(world, e, Enemy); // false!
```
```cpp
// Option 1: create Tag as empty struct
struct Enemy { };
// Create entity, add Enemy tag
auto e = world.entity().add<Enemy>();
e.has<Enemy>(); // true!
e.remove<Enemy>();
e.has<Enemy>(); // false!
// Option 2: create Tag as entity
auto Enemy = world.entity();
// Create entity, add Enemy tag
auto e = world.entity().add(Enemy);
e.has(Enemy); // true!
e.remove(Enemy);
e.has(Enemy); // false!
```
Note that both options in the C++ example achieve the same effect. The only difference is that in option 1 the tag is fixed at compile time, whereas in option 2 the tag can be created dynamically at runtime.
When a tag is deleted, the same rules apply as for components (see [Relationship cleanup properties](Relationships.md#cleanup-properties)).
### Pair
A pair is a combination of two entity ids. Pairs can be used to store entity relationships, where the first id represents the relationship kind and the second id represents the relationship target (called "object"). This is best explained by an example:
```c
// Create Likes relationship
ecs_entity_t Likes = ecs_new_id(world);
// Create a small graph with two entities that like each other
ecs_entity_t Bob = ecs_new_id(world);
ecs_entity_t Alice = ecs_new_id(world);
ecs_add_pair(world, Bob, Likes, Alice); // Bob likes Alice
ecs_add_pair(world, Alice, Likes, Bob); // Alice likes Bob
ecs_has_pair(world, Bob, Likes, Alice); // true!
ecs_remove_pair(world, Bob, Likes, Alice);
ecs_has_pair(world, Bob, Likes, Alice); // false!
```
```cpp
// Create Likes relationship as empty type (tag)
struct Likes { };
// Create a small graph with two entities that like each other
auto Bob = world.entity();
auto Alice = world.entity();
Bob.add<Likes>(Alice); // Bob likes Alice
Alice.add<Likes>(Bob); // Alice likes Bob
Bob.has<Likes>(Alice); // true!
Bob.remove<Likes>(Alice);
Bob.has<Likes>(Alice); // false!
```
A pair can be encoded in a single 64 bit identifier by using the `ecs_pair` macro in C, or the `world.pair` function in C++:
```c
ecs_id_t id = ecs_pair(Likes, Bob);
```
```cpp
flecs::id id = world.pair<Likes>(Bob);
```
The following examples show how to get back the elements from a pair:
```c
if (ecs_id_is_pair(id)) {
ecs_entity_t relationship = ecs_pair_first(world, id);
ecs_entity_t target = ecs_pair_second(world, id);
}
```
```cpp
if (id.is_pair()) {
auto relationship = id.first();
auto target = id.second();
}
```
A component or tag can be added multiple times to the same entity as long as it is part of a pair, and the pair itself is unique:
```c
ecs_add_pair(world, Bob, Eats, Apples);
ecs_add_pair(world, Bob, Eats, Pears);
ecs_add_pair(world, Bob, Grows, Pears);
ecs_has_pair(world, Bob, Eats, Apples); // true!
ecs_has_pair(world, Bob, Eats, Pears); // true!
ecs_has_pair(world, Bob, Grows, Pears); // true!
```
```cpp
Bob.add(Eats, Apples);
Bob.add(Eats, Pears);
Bob.add(Grows, Pears);
Bob.has(Eats, Apples); // true!
Bob.has(Eats, Pears); // true!
Bob.has(Grows, Pears); // true!
```
The `target` function can be used in C and C++ to get the object for a relationship:
```c
ecs_entity_t o = ecs_get_target(world, Alice, Likes, 0); // Returns Bob
```
```cpp
auto o = Alice.target<Likes>(); // Returns Bob
```
Entity relationships enable lots of interesting patterns and possibilities. Make sure to check out the [Relationships manual](Relationships.md).
### Hierarchies
Flecs has builtin support for hierarchies with the builtin `EcsChildOf` (or `flecs::ChildOf`, in C++) relationship. A hierarchy can be created with the regular relationship API, or with the `child_of` shortcut in C++:
```c
ecs_entity_t parent = ecs_new_id(world);
// ecs_new_w_pair is the same as ecs_new_id + ecs_add_pair
ecs_entity_t child = ecs_new_w_pair(world, EcsChildOf, parent);
// Deleting the parent also deletes its children
ecs_delete(world, parent);
```
```cpp
auto parent = world.entity();
auto child = world.entity().child_of(parent);
// Deleting the parent also deletes its children
parent.destruct();
```
When entities have names, they can be used together with hierarchies to generate path names or do relative lookups:
```c
ecs_entity_t parent = ecs_entity(world, {
.name = "parent"
});
ecs_entity_t child = ecs_entity(world, {
.name = "child"
});
ecs_add_pair(world, child, EcsChildOf, parent);
char *path = ecs_get_fullpath(world, child);
printf("%s\n", path); // output: 'parent.child'
ecs_os_free(path);
ecs_lookup_path(world, 0, "parent.child"); // returns child
ecs_lookup_path(world, parent, "child"); // returns child
```
```cpp
auto parent = world.entity("parent");
auto child = world.entity("child").child_of(parent);
std::cout << child.path() << std::endl; // output: 'parent::child'
world.lookup("parent::child"); // returns child
parent.lookup("child"); // returns child
```
Queries (see below) can use hierarchies to order data breadth-first, which can come in handy when you're implementing a transform system:
```c
ecs_query_t *q = ecs_query_init(world, &(ecs_query_desc_t){
.filter.terms = {
{ ecs_id(Position) },
{ ecs_id(Position), .src = {
.flags = EcsCascade, // Breadth-first order
.trav = EcsChildOf // Use ChildOf relationship for traversal
}}
}
});
ecs_iter_t it = ecs_query_iter(world, q);
while (ecs_query_next(&it)) {
Position *p = ecs_field(&it, Position, 1);
Position *p_parent = ecs_field(&it, Position, 2);
for (int i = 0; i < it.count; i++) {
// Do the thing
}
}
```
```cpp
auto q = world.query_builder<Position, Position>()
.term_at(2).parent().cascade()
.build();
q.each([](Position& p, Position& p_parent) {
// Do the thing
});
```
### Instancing
Flecs has builtin support for instancing (sharing a single component with multiple entities) through the builtin `EcsIsA` relationship (`flecs::IsA` in C++). An entity with an `IsA` relationship to a base entity "inherits" all entities from that base:
```c
// Shortcut to create entity & set a component
ecs_entity_t base = ecs_set(world, 0, Triangle, {{0, 0}, {1, 1}, {-1, -1}});
// Create entity that shares components with base
ecs_entity_t e = ecs_new_w_pair(world, EcsIsA, base);
const Triangle *t = ecs_get(world, e, Triangle); // gets Triangle from base
```
```cpp
auto base = world.entity().set<Triangle>({{0, 0}, {1, 1}, {-1, -1}});
// Create entity that shares components with base
auto e = world.entity().is_a(base);
const Triangle *t = e.get<Triangle>(); // gets Triangle from base
```
Entities can override components from their base:
```c
// Add private instance of Triangle to e, copy value from base
ecs_add(world, e, Triangle);
```
```cpp
// Add private instance of Triangle to e, copy value from base
e.add<Triangle>();
```
Instancing can be used to build modular prefab hierarchies, as the foundation of a batched renderer with instancing support, or just to reduce memory footprint by sharing common data across entities.
### Type
The type (often referred to as "archetype") is the list of ids an entity has. Types can be used for introspection which is useful when debugging, or when for example building an entity editor. The most common thing to do with a type is to convert it to text and print it:
```c
ECS_COMPONENT(world, Position);
ECS_COMPONENT(world, Velocity);
ecs_entity_t e = ecs_new_id(world);
ecs_add(world, e, Position);
ecs_add(world, e, Velocity);
const ecs_type_t *type = ecs_get_type(world, e);
char *type_str = ecs_type_str(world, type);
printf("Type: %s\n", type_str); // output: 'Position,Velocity'
ecs_os_free(type_str);
```
```cpp
auto e = ecs.entity()
.add<Position>()
.add<Velocity>();
std::cout << e.type().str() << std::endl; // output: 'Position,Velocity'
```
A type can also be iterated by an application:
```c
const ecs_type_t *type = ecs_get_type(world, e);
for (int i = 0; i < type->count; i++) {
if (type->array[i] == ecs_id(Position)) {
// Found Position component!
}
}
```
```cpp
e.each([&](flecs::id id) {
if (id == world.id<Position>()) {
// Found Position component!
}
});
```
### Singleton
A singleton is a single instance of a component that can be retrieved without an entity. The functions for singletons are very similar to the regular API:
```c
// Set singleton component
ecs_singleton_set(world, Gravity, { 9.81 });
// Get singleton component
const Gravity *g = ecs_singleton_get(world, Gravity);
```
```cpp
// Set singleton component
world.set<Gravity>({ 9.81 });
// Get singleton component
const Gravity *g = world.get<Gravity>();
```
Singleton components are created by adding the component to its own entity id. The above code examples are shortcuts for these regular API calls:
```c
ecs_set(world, ecs_id(Gravity), Gravity, {10, 20});
const Gravity *g = ecs_get(world, ecs_id(Gravity), Gravity);
```
```cpp
flecs::entity grav_e = world.entity<Gravity>();
grav_e.set<Gravity>({10, 20});
const Gravity *g = grav_e.get<Gravity>();
```
The following examples show how to query for a singleton component:
```c
// Create query that matches Gravity as singleton
ecs_query_t *q = ecs_query(ecs, {
.filter.terms = {
// Regular component
{ .id = ecs_id(Velocity) },
// A singleton is a component matched on itself
{ .id = ecs_id(Gravity), .src.id = ecs_id(Gravity) }
}
});
// Create a system using the query DSL with a singleton:
ECS_SYSTEM(world, ApplyGravity, EcsOnUpdate, Velocity, Gravity($));
```
```cpp
world.query_builder<Velocity, Gravity>()
.term_at(2).singleton()
.build();
```
### Filter
Filters are a kind of uncached query that are cheap to create. This makes them a good fit for scenarios where an application doesn't know in advance what it has to query for, like when finding the children for a parent. The following example shows a simple filter:
```c
// Initialize a filter with 2 terms on the stack
ecs_filter_t *f = ecs_filter_init(world, &(ecs_filter_desc_t){
.terms = {
{ ecs_id(Position) },
{ ecs_pair(EcsChildOf, parent) }
}
});
// Iterate the filter results. Because entities are grouped by their type there
// are two loops: an outer loop for the type, and an inner loop for the entities
// for that type.
ecs_iter_t it = ecs_filter_iter(world, f);
while (ecs_filter_next(&it)) {
// Each type has its own set of component arrays
Position *p = ecs_field(&it, Position, 1);
// Iterate all entities for the type
for (int i = 0; i < it.count; i++) {
printf("%s: {%f, %f}\n", ecs_get_name(world, it.entities[i]),
p[i].x, p[i].y);
}
}
ecs_filter_fini(f);
```
```cpp
// For simple queries the each function can be used
world.each([](Position& p, Velocity& v) { // flecs::entity argument is optional
p.x += v.x;
p.y += v.y;
});
// More complex filters can first be created, then iterated
auto f = world.filter_builder<Position>()
.term(flecs::ChildOf, parent)
.build();
// Option 1: each() function that iterates each entity
f.each([](flecs::entity e, Position& p) {
std::cout << e.name() << ": {" << p.x << ", " << p.y << "}" << std::endl;
});
// Option 2: iter() function that iterates each archetype
f.iter([](flecs::iter& it, Position *p) {
for (int i : it) {
std::cout << it.entity(i).name()
<< ": {" << p[i].x << ", " << p[i].y << "}" << std::endl;
}
});
```
Filters can use operators to exclude components, optionally match components or match one out of a list of components. Additionally filters may contain wildcards for terms which is especially useful when combined with pairs.
The following example shows a filter that matches all entities with a parent that do not have `Position`:
```c
ecs_filter_t *f = ecs_filter_init(world, &(ecs_filter_desc_t){
.terms = {
{ ecs_pair(EcsChildOf, EcsWildcard) }
{ ecs_id(Position), .oper = EcsNot },
}
});
// Iteration code is the same
```
```cpp
auto f = world.filter_builder<>()
.term(flecs::ChildOf, flecs::Wildcard)
.term<Position>().oper(flecs::Not)
.build();
// Iteration code is the same
```
### Query
Queries are cached versions of filters. They are slower to create than filters, but much faster to iterate since this just means iterating their cache.
The API for queries is similar to filters:
```c
// Create a query with 2 terms
ecs_query_t *q = ecs_query_init(world, &(ecs_query_desc_t){
.filter.terms = {
{ ecs_id(Position) },
{ ecs_pair(EcsChildOf, EcsWildcard) }
}
});
ecs_iter_t it = ecs_query_iter(world, q);
while (ecs_query_next(&it)) {
// Same as for filters
}
```
```cpp
// Create a query with two terms
auto q = world.query_builder<Position>()
.term(flecs::ChildOf, flecs::Wildcard)
.build();
// Iteration is the same as filters
```
When using queries, make sure to reuse a query object instead of creating a new one each time you need it. Query creation is expensive, and many of the performance benefits of queries are lost when they are created in loops.
See the [query manual](Queries.md) for more details.
### System
A system is a query combined with a callback. Systems can be either ran manually or ran as part of an ECS-managed main loop (see [Pipeline](#pipeline)). The system API looks similar to queries:
```c
// Option 1, use the ECS_SYSTEM convenience macro
ECS_SYSTEM(world, Move, 0, Position, Velocity);
ecs_run(world, Move, delta_time, NULL); // Run system
// Option 2, use the ecs_system_init function/ecs_system macro
ecs_entity_t move_sys = ecs_system(world, {
.query.filter.terms = {
{ecs_id(Position)},
{ecs_id(Velocity)},
},
.callback = Move
});
ecs_run(world, move_sys, delta_time, NULL); // Run system
// The callback code (same for both options)
void Move(ecs_iter_t *it) {
Position *p = ecs_field(it, Position, 1);
Velocity *v = ecs_field(it, Velocity, 2);
for (int i = 0; i < it->count; i++) {
p[i].x += v[i].x * it->delta_time;
p[i].y += v[i].y * it->delta_time;
}
}
```
```cpp
// Use each() function that iterates each individual entity
auto move_sys = world.system<Position, Velocity>()
.iter([](flecs::iter it, Position *p, Velocity *v) {
for (int i : it) {
p[i].x += v[i].x * it.delta_time();
p[i].y += v[i].y * it.delta_time();
}
});
// Just like with filters & queries, systems have both the iter() and
// each() methods to iterate entities.
move_sys.run();
```
Systems are stored as entities with an `EcsSystem` component (`flecs::System` in C++), similar to components. That means that an application can use a system as a regular entity:
```c
printf("System: %s\n", ecs_get_name(world, move_sys));
ecs_add(world, move_sys, EcsOnUpdate);
ecs_delete(world, move_sys);
```
```cpp
std::cout << "System: " << move_sys.name() << std::endl;
move_sys.add(flecs::OnUpdate);
move_sys.destruct();
```
### Pipeline
A pipeline is a list of tags that when matched, produces a list of systems to run. These tags are also referred to as a system "phase". Flecs comes with a default pipeline that has the following phases:
```c
EcsOnLoad
EcsPostLoad
EcsPreUpdate
EcsOnUpdate
EcsOnValidate
EcsPostUpdate
EcsPreStore
EcsOnStore
```
```cpp
flecs::OnLoad
flecs::PostLoad
flecs::PreUpdate
flecs::OnUpdate
flecs::OnValidate
flecs::PostUpdate
flecs::PreStore
flecs::OnStore
```
When a pipeline is executed, systems are ran in the order of the phases. This makes pipelines and phases the primary mechanism for defining ordering between systems. The following code shows how to assign systems to a pipeline, and how to run the pipeline with the `progress()` function:
```c
ECS_SYSTEM(world, Move, EcsOnUpdate, Position, Velocity);
ECS_SYSTEM(world, Transform, EcsPostUpdate, Position, Transform);
ECS_SYSTEM(world, Render, EcsOnStore, Transform, Mesh);
ecs_progress(world, 0); // run systems in default pipeline
```
```cpp
world.system<Position, Velocity>("Move").kind(flecs::OnUpdate).each( ... );
world.system<Position, Transform>("Transform").kind(flecs::PostUpdate).each( ... );
world.system<Transform, Mesh>("Render").kind(flecs::OnStore).each( ... );
world.progress();
```
Because phases are just tags that are added to systems, applications can use the regular API to add/remove systems to a phase:
```c
ecs_remove_id(world, Move, EcsOnUpdate);
ecs_add_id(world, Move, EcsPostUpdate);
```
```cpp
move_sys.add(flecs::OnUpdate);
move_sys.remove(flecs::PostUpdate);
```
Inside a phase, systems are guaranteed to be ran in their declaration order.
### Observer
Observers are callbacks that are invoked when one or more events matches the query of an observer. Events can be either user defined or builtin. Examples of builtin events are `OnAdd`, `OnRemove` and `OnSet`.
When an observer has a query with more than one component, the observer will not be invoked until the entity for which the event is emitted satisfies the entire query.
An example of an observer with two components:
```c
ecs_observer(world, {
.filter.terms = { { ecs_id(Position) }, { ecs_id(Velocity) }},
.event = EcsOnSet,
.callback = OnSetPosition
});
// Callback code is same as system
ecs_entity_t e = ecs_new_id(world); // Doesn't invoke the observer
ecs_set(world, e, Position, {10, 20}); // Doesn't invoke the observer
ecs_set(world, e, Velocity, {1, 2}); // Invokes the observer
ecs_set(world, e, Position, {20, 40}); // Invokes the observer
```
```cpp
world.observer<Position, Velocity>("OnSetPosition").event(flecs::OnSet).each( ... );
auto e = ecs.entity(); // Doesn't invoke the observer
e.set<Position>({10, 20}); // Doesn't invoke the observer
e.set<Velocity>({1, 2}); // Invokes the observer
e.set<Position>({20, 30}); // Invokes the observer
```
### Module
A module is a function that imports and organizes components, systems, triggers, observers, prefabs into the world as reusable units of code. A well designed module has no code that directly relies on code of another module, except for components definitions. All module contents are stored as child entities inside the module scope with the `ChildOf` relationship. The following examples show how to define a module in C and C++:
```c
// Module header (e.g. MyModule.h)
typedef struct {
float x;
float y;
} Position;
extern ECS_COMPONENT_DECLARE(Position);
// The import function name has to follow the convention: <ModuleName>Import
void MyModuleImport(ecs_world_t *world);
// Module source (e.g. MyModule.c)
ECS_COMPONENT_DECLARE(Position);
void MyModuleImport(ecs_world_t *world) {
ECS_MODULE(world, MyModule);
ECS_COMPONENT_DEFINE(world, Position);
}
// Import code
ECS_IMPORT(world, MyModule);
```
```cpp
struct my_module {
my_module(flecs::world& world) {
world.module<my_module>();
// Define components, systems, triggers, ... as usual. They will be
// automatically created inside the scope of the module.
}
};
// Import code
world.import<my_module>();
```
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