In WCF (Windows Communication Foundation), the batch
attribute is used to control message batching behavior. When batch
is set to true
, multiple messages can be sent in a single batch to improve performance and reduce network overhead. On the other hand, setting batch
to false
means that each message is sent individually, which can result in increased network traffic and potentially impact performance.
The batch
attribute can be applied to various binding configurations in the WCF service and client configurations. For example, it can be set in the netTcpBinding
, wsHttpBinding
, and basicHttpBinding
.
Here are the performance implications of setting batch
to false
:
Increased Network Traffic: When
batch
is set tofalse
, each message is sent individually over the network. This can result in a higher number of network calls, which may increase network traffic, especially when handling multiple requests in a short period.Reduced Throughput: The increased network traffic due to individual message sending can impact the overall throughput of the service. In a scenario with high concurrency and frequent requests, setting
batch
tofalse
can lead to reduced throughput compared to using batching.Increased Overhead: Each individual message requires its own message header and other network-related information. This overhead can be more significant when sending multiple small messages compared to sending them in a batch.
Message Latency: With
batch
set tofalse
, there may be a slight increase in message latency because each message requires a separate round-trip to the server, compared to batching where multiple messages can be sent in a single round-trip.
Regarding the recompilation issue you mentioned, the batch
attribute is not related to service recompilation. Recompilation usually happens due to changes in the service code or configuration, and it is not influenced by the batch
setting.
In summary, setting batch
to false
can lead to increased network traffic, reduced throughput, and higher message overhead. It is generally more suitable for scenarios with low concurrency and relatively small message payloads. If you have high concurrency or frequently handle multiple requests, using batch
with true
is recommended for improved performance and reduced network overhead. However, the performance impact of the batch
setting can vary based on the specific application and usage patterns, so it's essential to test and benchmark your service under different conditions to determine the best configuration for your specific use case.