# epoll: The API that powers the modern internet

DevFeed: [epoll: The API that powers the modern internet](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/epoll-the-api-that-powers-the-modern-internet-35395.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://darkcoding.net/software/epoll-the-api-that-powers-the-modern-internet/>)

Author: Graham King

Published: 2022-01-03T23:46:10Z

Content type: tutorial

Language: en

Sources: [Graham King](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/graham-king.md>)

Topics: [Linux](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/linux.md>), [networking](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/networking.md>), [Linux Kernel](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/linux-kernel.md>), [systems](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/systems.md>), [Programming](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/programming.md>)

Tags: [epoll](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/epoll.md>), [history](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/history.md>), [linux](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux.md>), [linux-kernel](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/linux-kernel.md>), [network-programming](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/network-programming.md>), [networking](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/networking.md>), [programming](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/programming.md>), [software](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/software.md>)

## AI overview

This article explains how Linux's epoll API addresses the C10K problem by efficiently handling network connections while clients or servers wait for data. It connects epoll with Go and nginx server software and contrasts it with process and thread pools, while noting related polling approaches on other operating systems.

## Source excerpt

Linux's epoll API solved the C10K problem, enabling fast and afforable Internet services.