=================================
      socket -- Network Communication
     =================================
     
     .. module:: socket
         :synopsis: Network communication
     
     :Purpose: Provides access to network communication
     :Python Version: 1.4 and later
     
     The :mod:`socket` module exposes the low-level C API for communicating
     over a network using the BSD socket interface.  It includes the
     :class:`socket` class, for handling the actual data channel, and
     functions for network-related tasks such as converting a server's name
     to an address and formatting data to be sent across the network.
     
     .. toctree::
     
        addressing
        tcp
        udp
        uds
        multicast
        binary
        nonblocking
     
     
     .. seealso::
     
         `socket <http://docs.python.org/library/socket.html>`_
             The standard library documentation for this module.
     
         `Socket Programming HOWOTO <http://docs.python.org/howto/sockets.html>`__
             An instructional guide by Gordon McMillan, included in the
             standard library documentation.
     
         :mod:`select`
             Testing a socket to see if it is ready for reading or writing.
     
         :mod:`SocketServer`
             Framework for creating network servers.
     
         :mod:`asyncore` and :mod:`asynchat`
             Frameworks for asynchronous communication.
     
         :mod:`urllib` and :mod:`urllib2`
             Most network clients should use the more convenient libraries
             for accessing remote resoruces through a URL.
     
         *Unix Network Programming, Volume 1: The Sockets Networking API, 3/E*
             By W. Richard Stevens, Bill Fenner, and Andrew
             M. Rudoff. Published by Addison-Wesley Professional, 2004.
             ISBN-10: 0131411551