# NativeBuffer Development

## When to Use

The **NativeBuffer** module provides APIs for you to apply for, use, and release the shared memory, and query memory properties.

The following scenario is common for **NativeBuffer** development:

Use the native APIs provided by **NativeBuffer** to create an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance, obtain memory properties, and map the corresponding ION memory to the process address space.

## Available APIs

| API| Description|
| -------- | -------- |
| OH_NativeBuffer_Alloc (const OH_NativeBuffer_Config \*config) | Creates an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance based on an **OH_NativeBuffer_Config** struct. A new **OH_NativeBuffer** instance is created each time this function is called.|
| OH_NativeBuffer_Reference (OH_NativeBuffer \*buffer) | Increases the reference count of an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance by 1.|
| OH_NativeBuffer_Unreference (OH_NativeBuffer \*buffer) | Decreases the reference count of an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance by 1 and, when the reference count reaches 0, destroys the instance.|
| OH_NativeBuffer_GetConfig (OH_NativeBuffer \*buffer, OH_NativeBuffer_Config \*config) | Obtains the properties of an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance.|
| OH_NativeBuffer_Map (OH_NativeBuffer \*buffer, void \*\*virAddr) | Maps the ION memory corresponding to an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance to the process address space.|
| OH_NativeBuffer_Unmap (OH_NativeBuffer \*buffer) | Unmaps the ION memory corresponding to an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance from the process address space.|
| OH_NativeBuffer_GetSeqNum (OH_NativeBuffer \*buffer) | Obtains the sequence number of an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance.|

For details about the APIs, see [native_buffer](../reference/native-apis/_o_h___native_buffer.md).

## How to Develop

The following describes how to use the native APIs provided by **NativeBuffer** to create an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance, obtain memory properties, and map the corresponding ION memory to the process address space.

**Header File**
```c++
#include <native_buffer/native_buffer.h>
```

1. Create an **OH_NativeBuffer** instance.
    ```c++
    OH_NativeBuffer_Config config {
        .width = 0x100,
        .height = 0x100,
    };
    OH_NativeBuffer* buffer = OH_NativeBuffer_Alloc(&config);
    if (buffer == nullptr) {
        std::cout << "OH_NativeBuffer_Alloc Failed" << std::endl;
    }
    ```
   
2. Map the ION memory corresponding to the **OH_NativeBuffer** instance to the process address space by calling **OH_NativeBuffer_Map**, if the application needs to access the memory space of the buffer.
    ```c++
    // Map the ION memory to the process address space.
    void* virAddr = nullptr;
    int32_t ret = OH_NativeBuffer_Map(buffer, &virAddr); // After mapping, the start address of the memory is returned through the parameter virAddr.
    if (ret != 0) {
        std::cout << "OH_NativeBuffer_Map Failed" << std::endl;
    }

    // Unmap the ION memory from the process address space when it is no longer needed.
    ret = OH_NativeBuffer_Unmap(buffer);
    if (ret != 0) {
        std::cout << "OH_NativeBuffer_Unmap Failed" << std::endl;
    }
    ```

3. Obtain the memory properties.
    ```c++
    // Obtain the properties of the OH_NativeBuffer instance.
    OH_NativeBuffer_Config config = {};
    OH_NativeBuffer_GetConfig(buffer, &config);
    // Obtain the sequence number of the OH_NativeBuffer instance.
     uint32_t hwBufferID = OH_NativeBuffer_GetSeqNum(buffer);
    ```

4. Destroy the **OH_NativeBuffer** instance.
    ```c++
    // Call OH_NativeBuffer_Unreference to decrease the reference count by 1. When the reference count reaches 0, the instance is destroyed.
    ret = OH_NativeBuffer_Unreference(buffer);
    if (ret != 0) {
        std::cout << "OH_NativeBuffer_Unreference Failed" << std::endl;
    }
    ```