Java sockets: can I write a TCP server with one thread?

Yes, you are right. The problems you can encounter is when the duration of processing is too long. In this case, you'd have to wrap the processing inside another thread, such that it will not interfere with the networking thread, and prevent noticeable delay Another detail; Channels are all about "moving" data.

If your data you'd wish to send is ready, then you can move this data to a networking channel. The copying/buffering/etc. Is all done by the NIO implementation, then Your single-threaded "networking thread" is only steering the connection, but not throttling it (read: weird analogy with a car) The basic multithreaded approach is easier to design and implement than a single threaded NIO. Performance gain isn't noticeable in a small multiplayer game server/client, especially if a message is only sent every few seconds.

Yes, you are right. The problems you can encounter is when the duration of processing is too long. In this case, you'd have to wrap the processing inside another thread, such that it will not interfere with the networking thread, and prevent noticeable delay.

Another detail; Channels are all about "moving" data. If your data you'd wish to send is ready, then you can move this data to a networking channel. The copying/buffering/etc.Is all done by the NIO implementation, then.

Your single-threaded "networking thread" is only steering the connection, but not throttling it (read: weird analogy with a car). The basic multithreaded approach is easier to design and implement than a single threaded NIO. Performance gain isn't noticeable in a small multiplayer game server/client, especially if a message is only sent every few seconds.

Yes you can. See this example for an illustration on how to do this. The important section is this: for (;;) { // Loop forever, processing client connections // Wait for a client to connect SocketChannel client = server.accept(); // Build response string, wrap, and encode to bytes (elided) client.

Write(response); client.close(); } This all works well when the server-side processing for each client is negligible. However a multi-threaded approach will scale much better.

This all works well when the server-side processing for each client is negligible. However a multi-threaded approach will scale much better. I beg to disagree.

A one-client-one-thread approach will exhaust memory much faster than if you handle multiple clients per thread as you won't need a full stack per client. See the C10K paper for more on the topic: kegel.com/c10k.html Anyway, if there won't be more than 20 clients, just use whatever is easiest to code and debug.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.