1 files changed, 43 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/include/mbgl/actor/actor_ref.hpp b/include/mbgl/actor/actor_ref.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9d858d823f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/mbgl/actor/actor_ref.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include <mbgl/actor/mailbox.hpp>
+#include <mbgl/actor/message.hpp>
+
+#include <memory>
+
+namespace mbgl {
+
+/*
+    An `ActorRef<O>` is a *non*-owning, weak reference to an actor of type `O`. You can send it
+    messages just like an `Actor<O>`. It's a value object: safe to copy and pass between actors
+    via messages.
+
+    An `ActorRef<O>` does not extend the lifetime of the corresponding `Actor<O>`. That's determined
+    entirely by whichever object owns the `Actor<O>` -- the actor's "supervisor".
+
+    It's safe for a `Ref` to outlive its `Actor` -- the reference is "weak", and does not extend
+    the lifetime of the owning Actor, and sending a message to a `Ref` whose `Actor` has died is
+    a no-op. (In the future, a dead-letters queue or log may be implemented.)
+*/
+
+template <class Object>
+class ActorRef {
+public:
+    ActorRef(Object& object_, std::weak_ptr<Mailbox> weakMailbox_)
+        : object(object_),
+          weakMailbox(std::move(weakMailbox_)) {
+    }
+
+    template <typename Fn, class... Args>
+    void invoke(Fn fn, Args&&... args) {
+        if (auto mailbox = weakMailbox.lock()) {
+            mailbox->push(actor::makeMessage(object, fn, std::forward<Args>(args)...));
+        }
+    }
+
+private:
+    Object& object;
+    std::weak_ptr<Mailbox> weakMailbox;
+};
+
+} // namespace mbgl