api: provide api definition over api

This patch allows a client to bootstrap itself by downloading the
JSON API definitions over the API itself.

This patch enables it for Python (probably need a dynamic language).
Call VPPApiClient with the new bootstrapapi=True parameter.

Example (Python):

from vpp_papi import VPPApiClient
vpp = VPPApiClient(bootstrapapi=True)
rv = vpp.connect("foobar")
assert rv == 0
print(f'SHOW VERSION: {vpp.api.show_version()}')
vpp.disconnect()

Type: feature
Change-Id: Id903fdccc82b2e22aa1994331d2c150253f2ccae
Signed-off-by: Ole Troan <otroan@employees.org>

10 files changed, 968 insertions, 29 deletions

diff --git a/src/cmake/api.cmake b/src/cmake/api.cmake
index 831c2b1e32d..0e273a7d4dc 100644
--- a/src/cmake/api.cmake
+++ b/src/cmake/api.cmake
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ function(vpp_generate_api_json_header file dir component)
   add_custom_command (OUTPUT ${output_name}
     COMMAND mkdir -p ${output_dir}
     COMMAND ${PYENV} ${VPP_APIGEN}
-    ARGS ${includedir} --includedir ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR} --input ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${file} JSON --output ${output_name}
+    ARGS ${includedir} --includedir ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR} --input ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${file} JSON --outputdir ${output_dir} --output ${output_name}
     DEPENDS ${VPP_APIGEN} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/${file}
     COMMENT "Generating API header ${output_name}"
   )
diff --git a/src/tools/vppapigen/generate_json.py b/src/tools/vppapigen/generate_json.py
index 610f84f5533..dc5cf9c1bbf 100755
--- a/src/tools/vppapigen/generate_json.py
+++ b/src/tools/vppapigen/generate_json.py
@@ -110,6 +110,15 @@ def main():
                         ],
                         f.name,
                     ),
+                    "outputdir": "%s/%s/"
+                    % (
+                        output_path,
+                        output_dir_map[
+                            f.as_posix().split("/")[
+                                src_dir_depth + BASE_DIR.count("/") - 1
+                            ]
+                        ],
+                    ),
                     "input_file": f.as_posix(),
                     "includedir": [src_dir.as_posix()],
                     "output_module": "JSON",
diff --git a/src/tools/vppapigen/vppapigen_c.py b/src/tools/vppapigen/vppapigen_c.py
index 64327887c0e..fb7de0a023f 100755
--- a/src/tools/vppapigen/vppapigen_c.py
+++ b/src/tools/vppapigen/vppapigen_c.py
@@ -1574,6 +1574,7 @@ def generate_c_boilerplate(services, defines, counters, file_crc, module, stream
 #include "{module}.api.h"
 #undef vl_printfun
 
+#include "{module}.api_json.h"
 """
 
     write(hdr.format(module=module))
@@ -1586,6 +1587,7 @@ def generate_c_boilerplate(services, defines, counters, file_crc, module, stream
             '   u16 msg_id_base = vl_msg_api_get_msg_ids ("{}_{crc:08x}", '
             "VL_MSG_{m}_LAST);\n".format(module, crc=file_crc, m=module.upper())
         )
+        write(f"   vec_add1(am->json_api_repr, (u8 *)json_api_repr_{module});\n")
 
     for d in defines:
         write(
diff --git a/src/tools/vppapigen/vppapigen_json.py b/src/tools/vppapigen/vppapigen_json.py
index 0a1a3d37373..7239d1ea732 100644
--- a/src/tools/vppapigen/vppapigen_json.py
+++ b/src/tools/vppapigen/vppapigen_json.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 # JSON generation
 import json
+import sys
+import os
 
 process_imports = True
 
@@ -88,7 +90,26 @@ def walk_defs(s, is_message=False):
 #
 # Plugin entry point
 #
-def run(output_dir, filename, s):
+
+
+def contents_to_c_string(contents):
+    # Escape backslashes and double quotes
+    contents = contents.replace("\\", "\\\\").replace('"', '\\"')
+    # Replace newlines with \n
+    contents = contents.replace("\n", "\\n")
+    return '"' + contents + '"'
+
+
+def run(output_dir, apifilename, s):
+    if not output_dir:
+        sys.stderr.write("Missing --outputdir argument")
+        return None
+
+    basename = os.path.basename(apifilename)
+    filename_json_repr = os.path.join(output_dir + "/" + basename + "_json.h")
+    filename, _ = os.path.splitext(basename)
+    modulename = filename.replace(".", "_")
+
     j = {}
 
     j["types"] = walk_defs([o for o in s["types"] if o.__class__.__name__ == "Typedef"])
@@ -106,4 +127,9 @@ def run(output_dir, filename, s):
     j["vl_api_version"] = hex(s["file_crc"])
     j["imports"] = walk_imports(i for i in s["Import"])
     j["counters"], j["paths"] = walk_counters(s["Counters"], s["Paths"])
-    return json.dumps(j, indent=4, separators=(",", ": "))
+    r = json.dumps(j, indent=4, separators=(",", ": "))
+    c_string = contents_to_c_string(r)
+    with open(filename_json_repr, "w", encoding="UTF-8") as f:
+        print(f"const char *json_api_repr_{modulename} = {c_string};", file=f)
+    # return json.dumps(j, indent=4, separators=(",", ": "))
+    return r
diff --git a/src/vlibapi/api_common.h b/src/vlibapi/api_common.h
index 35d3b2a110e..62a8d4c62d8 100644
--- a/src/vlibapi/api_common.h
+++ b/src/vlibapi/api_common.h
@@ -354,6 +354,8 @@ typedef struct api_main_t
 
   /** client message index hash table */
   uword *msg_index_by_name_and_crc;
+  /** plugin JSON representation vector table */
+  u8 **json_api_repr;
 
   /** api version list */
   api_version_t *api_version_list;
diff --git a/src/vlibmemory/memclnt.api b/src/vlibmemory/memclnt.api
index a8e7cfeaec0..dc0f4e1c8a7 100644
--- a/src/vlibmemory/memclnt.api
+++ b/src/vlibmemory/memclnt.api
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ service {
 };
 
 /*
- * Create a client registration 
+ * Create a client registration
  */
 define memclnt_create {
   option deprecated;
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ define memclnt_create_reply {
 };
 
 /*
- * Delete a client registration 
+ * Delete a client registration
  */
 define memclnt_delete {
     u32 index;                  /* index, used e.g. by API trace replay */
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ typedef message_table_entry
 };
 
 /*
- * Create a socket client registration. 
+ * Create a socket client registration.
  */
 define sockclnt_create {
     u32 context;                /* opaque value to be returned in the reply */
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ define sockclnt_create_reply {
 };
 
 /*
- * Delete a client registration 
+ * Delete a client registration
  */
 define sockclnt_delete {
     u32 client_index;
@@ -252,3 +252,14 @@ define memclnt_create_v2_reply {
     u32 index;                  /* index, used e.g. by API trace replay */
     u64 message_table;          /* serialized message table in shmem */
 };
+
+define get_api_json {
+    u32 client_index;
+    u32 context;
+};
+
+define get_api_json_reply {
+    u32 context;
+    i32 retval;
+    string json[];
+};
diff --git a/src/vlibmemory/memclnt_api.c b/src/vlibmemory/memclnt_api.c
index 7eb61fe7875..299e8d93f02 100644
--- a/src/vlibmemory/memclnt_api.c
+++ b/src/vlibmemory/memclnt_api.c
@@ -145,10 +145,44 @@ vl_api_control_ping_t_handler (vl_api_control_ping_t *mp)
 		({ rmp->vpe_pid = ntohl (getpid ()); }));
 }
 
+static void
+vl_api_get_api_json_t_handler (vl_api_get_api_json_t *mp)
+{
+  vl_api_get_api_json_reply_t *rmp;
+  api_main_t *am = vlibapi_get_main ();
+  int rv = 0, n = 0;
+  u8 *s = 0;
+
+  vl_api_registration_t *rp =
+    vl_api_client_index_to_registration (mp->client_index);
+  if (rp == 0)
+    return;
+
+  s = format (s, "[\n");
+  u8 **ptr;
+  vec_foreach (ptr, am->json_api_repr)
+    {
+      s = format (s, "%s,", ptr[0]);
+    }
+  s[vec_len (s) - 1] = ']'; // Replace last comma with a bracket
+  vec_terminate_c_string (s);
+  n = vec_len (s);
+
+done:
+  REPLY_MACRO3 (VL_API_GET_API_JSON_REPLY, n, ({
+		  if (rv == 0)
+		    {
+		      vl_api_c_string_to_api_string ((char *) s, &rmp->json);
+		    }
+		}));
+  vec_free (s);
+}
+
 #define foreach_vlib_api_msg                                                  \
   _ (GET_FIRST_MSG_ID, get_first_msg_id)                                      \
   _ (API_VERSIONS, api_versions)                                              \
-  _ (CONTROL_PING, control_ping)
+  _ (CONTROL_PING, control_ping)                                              \
+  _ (GET_API_JSON, get_api_json)
 
 /*
  * vl_api_init
diff --git a/src/vpp-api/python/setup.py b/src/vpp-api/python/setup.py
index 18637ba21b7..784013fc606 100644
--- a/src/vpp-api/python/setup.py
+++ b/src/vpp-api/python/setup.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 # WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
-import sys
 
 try:
     from setuptools import setup, find_packages
@@ -22,7 +21,7 @@ requirements = []
 
 setup(
     name="vpp_papi",
-    version="2.0.0",
+    version="2.1.0",
     description="VPP Python binding",
     author="Ole Troan",
     author_email="ot@cisco.com",
@@ -31,6 +30,7 @@ setup(
     test_suite="vpp_papi.tests",
     install_requires=requirements,
     packages=find_packages(),
+    package_data={"vpp_papi": ["data/*.json"]},
     long_description="""VPP Python language binding.""",
     zip_safe=True,
 )
diff --git a/src/vpp-api/python/vpp_papi/data/memclnt.api.json b/src/vpp-api/python/vpp_papi/data/memclnt.api.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1734cf12ab0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/vpp-api/python/vpp_papi/data/memclnt.api.json
@@ -0,0 +1,809 @@
+{
+    "types": [
+        [
+            "module_version",
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "major"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "minor"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "patch"
+            ],
+            [
+                "string",
+                "name",
+                64
+            ]
+        ],
+        [
+            "message_table_entry",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "string",
+                "name",
+                64
+            ]
+        ]
+    ],
+    "messages": [
+        [
+            "memclnt_create",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "ctx_quota"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "input_queue"
+            ],
+            [
+                "string",
+                "name",
+                64
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "api_versions",
+                8
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x9c5e1c2f",
+                "options": {
+                    "deprecated": null
+                },
+                "comment": "/*\n * Create a client registration\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "memclnt_create_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "response"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "handle"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "message_table"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x42ec4560",
+                "options": {
+                    "deprecated": null
+                }
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "memclnt_delete",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "handle"
+            ],
+            [
+                "bool",
+                "do_cleanup"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x7e1c04e3",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Delete a client registration\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "memclnt_delete_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "response"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "handle"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x3d3b6312",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "rx_thread_exit",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u8",
+                "dummy"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xc3a3a452",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Client RX thread exit\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "memclnt_rx_thread_suspend",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u8",
+                "dummy"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xc3a3a452",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Client RX thread suspend\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "memclnt_read_timeout",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u8",
+                "dummy"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xc3a3a452",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Client read timeout\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "rpc_call",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "function"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u8",
+                "multicast"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u8",
+                "need_barrier_sync"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u8",
+                "send_reply"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "data_len"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u8",
+                "data",
+                0,
+                "data_len"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x7e8a2c95",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * RPC\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "rpc_call_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "retval"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xe8d4e804",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "get_first_msg_id",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "string",
+                "name",
+                64
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xebf79a66",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Lookup message-ID base by name\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "get_first_msg_id_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "retval"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "first_msg_id"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x7d337472",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "api_versions",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x51077d14",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Get API version table (includes built-in and plugins)\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "api_versions_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "retval"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "count"
+            ],
+            [
+                "vl_api_module_version_t",
+                "api_versions",
+                0,
+                "count"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x5f0d99d6",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "trace_plugin_msg_ids",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "string",
+                "plugin_name",
+                128
+            ],
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "first_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "last_msg_id"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xf476d3ce",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Trace the plugin message-id allocator\n * so we stand a chance of dealing with different sets of plugins\n * at api trace replay time\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "sockclnt_create",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "string",
+                "name",
+                64
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x455fb9c4",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Create a socket client registration.\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "sockclnt_create_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "response"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "count"
+            ],
+            [
+                "vl_api_message_table_entry_t",
+                "message_table",
+                0,
+                "count"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x35166268",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "sockclnt_delete",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "index"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x8ac76db6",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Delete a client registration\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "sockclnt_delete_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "response"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x8f38b1ee",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "sock_init_shm",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "requested_size"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u8",
+                "nitems"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "configs",
+                0,
+                "nitems"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x51646d92",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Initialize shm api over socket api\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "sock_init_shm_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "retval"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xe8d4e804",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "memclnt_keepalive",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x51077d14",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/*\n * Memory client ping / response\n * Only sent on inactive connections\n */"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "memclnt_keepalive_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "retval"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xe8d4e804",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "control_ping",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x51077d14",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/** \\brief Control ping from client to api server request\n    @param client_index - opaque cookie to identify the sender\n    @param context - sender context, to match reply w/ request\n*/"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "control_ping_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "retval"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "vpe_pid"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xf6b0b8ca",
+                "options": {},
+                "comment": "/** \\brief Control ping from the client to the server response\n    @param client_index - opaque cookie to identify the sender\n    @param context - sender context, to match reply w/ request\n    @param retval - return code for the request\n    @param vpe_pid - the pid of the vpe, returned by the server\n*/"
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "memclnt_create_v2",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "ctx_quota"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "input_queue"
+            ],
+            [
+                "string",
+                "name",
+                64
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "api_versions",
+                8
+            ],
+            [
+                "bool",
+                "keepalive",
+                {
+                    "default": "true"
+                }
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xc4bd4882",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "memclnt_create_v2_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "response"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "handle"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u64",
+                "message_table"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x42ec4560",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "get_api_json",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "client_index"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0x51077d14",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ],
+        [
+            "get_api_json_reply",
+            [
+                "u16",
+                "_vl_msg_id"
+            ],
+            [
+                "u32",
+                "context"
+            ],
+            [
+                "i32",
+                "retval"
+            ],
+            [
+                "string",
+                "json",
+                0
+            ],
+            {
+                "crc": "0xea715b59",
+                "options": {}
+            }
+        ]
+    ],
+    "unions": [],
+    "enums": [],
+    "enumflags": [],
+    "services": {
+        "memclnt_rx_thread_suspend": {
+            "reply": "null"
+        },
+        "memclnt_read_timeout": {
+            "reply": "null"
+        },
+        "rx_thread_exit": {
+            "reply": "null"
+        },
+        "trace_plugin_msg_ids": {
+            "reply": "null"
+        },
+        "memclnt_create": {
+            "reply": "memclnt_create_reply"
+        },
+        "memclnt_delete": {
+            "reply": "memclnt_delete_reply"
+        },
+        "rpc_call": {
+            "reply": "rpc_call_reply"
+        },
+        "get_first_msg_id": {
+            "reply": "get_first_msg_id_reply"
+        },
+        "api_versions": {
+            "reply": "api_versions_reply"
+        },
+        "sockclnt_create": {
+            "reply": "sockclnt_create_reply"
+        },
+        "sockclnt_delete": {
+            "reply": "sockclnt_delete_reply"
+        },
+        "sock_init_shm": {
+            "reply": "sock_init_shm_reply"
+        },
+        "memclnt_keepalive": {
+            "reply": "memclnt_keepalive_reply"
+        },
+        "control_ping": {
+            "reply": "control_ping_reply"
+        },
+        "memclnt_create_v2": {
+            "reply": "memclnt_create_v2_reply"
+        },
+        "get_api_json": {
+            "reply": "get_api_json_reply"
+        }
+    },
+    "options": {
+        "version": "2.1.0"
+    },
+    "aliases": {},
+    "vl_api_version": "0xb197c551",
+    "imports": [],
+    "counters": [],
+    "paths": []
+}
diff --git a/src/vpp-api/python/vpp_papi/vpp_papi.py b/src/vpp-api/python/vpp_papi/vpp_papi.py
index 5a9e0a70c64..30c00cd8dd3 100644
--- a/src/vpp-api/python/vpp_papi/vpp_papi.py
+++ b/src/vpp-api/python/vpp_papi/vpp_papi.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ from __future__ import print_function
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 import ctypes
 import ipaddress
-import sys
 import multiprocessing as mp
 import os
 import queue
@@ -30,6 +29,7 @@ import fnmatch
 import weakref
 import atexit
 import time
+import pkg_resources
 from .vpp_format import verify_enum_hint
 from .vpp_serializer import VPPType, VPPEnumType, VPPEnumFlagType, VPPUnionType
 from .vpp_serializer import VPPMessage, vpp_get_type, VPPTypeAlias
@@ -281,15 +281,28 @@ class VPPApiJSONFiles:
 
     @classmethod
     def process_json_file(self, apidef_file):
-        return self._process_json(apidef_file.read())
+        api = json.load(apidef_file)
+        return self._process_json(api)
 
     @classmethod
     def process_json_str(self, json_str):
-        return self._process_json(json_str)
+        api = json.loads(json_str)
+        return self._process_json(api)
+
+    @classmethod
+    def process_json_array_str(self, json_str):
+        services = {}
+        messages = {}
+
+        apis = json.loads(json_str)
+        for a in apis:
+            m, s = self._process_json(a)
+            messages.update(m)
+            services.update(s)
+        return messages, services
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _process_json(json_str):  # -> Tuple[Dict, Dict]
-        api = json.loads(json_str)
+    def _process_json(api):  # -> Tuple[Dict, Dict]
         types = {}
         services = {}
         messages = {}
@@ -373,7 +386,6 @@ class VPPApiJSONFiles:
                 try:
                     messages[m[0]] = VPPMessage(m[0], m[1:])
                 except VPPNotImplementedError:
-                    ### OLE FIXME
                     logger.error("Not implemented error for {}".format(m[0]))
         except KeyError:
             pass
@@ -435,6 +447,7 @@ class VPPApiClient:
         read_timeout=5,
         use_socket=True,
         server_address="/run/vpp/api.sock",
+        bootstrapapi=False,
     ):
         """Create a VPP API object.
 
@@ -472,25 +485,37 @@ class VPPApiClient:
         self.server_address = server_address
         self._apifiles = apifiles
         self.stats = {}
+        self.bootstrapapi = bootstrapapi
 
-        if self.apidir is None and hasattr(self.__class__, "apidir"):
-            # Keep supporting the old style of providing apidir.
-            self.apidir = self.__class__.apidir
-        try:
-            self.apifiles, self.messages, self.services = VPPApiJSONFiles.load_api(
-                apifiles, self.apidir
+        if not bootstrapapi:
+            if self.apidir is None and hasattr(self.__class__, "apidir"):
+                # Keep supporting the old style of providing apidir.
+                self.apidir = self.__class__.apidir
+            try:
+                self.apifiles, self.messages, self.services = VPPApiJSONFiles.load_api(
+                    apifiles, self.apidir
+                )
+            except VPPRuntimeError as e:
+                if testmode:
+                    self.apifiles = []
+                else:
+                    raise e
+        else:
+            # Bootstrap the API (memclnt.api bundled with VPP PAPI)
+            resource_path = "/".join(("data", "memclnt.api.json"))
+            file_content = pkg_resources.resource_string(__name__, resource_path)
+            self.messages, self.services = VPPApiJSONFiles.process_json_str(
+                file_content
             )
-        except VPPRuntimeError as e:
-            if testmode:
-                self.apifiles = []
-            else:
-                raise e
 
         # Basic sanity check
         if len(self.messages) == 0 and not testmode:
             raise VPPValueError(1, "Missing JSON message definitions")
-        if not (verify_enum_hint(VppEnum.vl_api_address_family_t)):
-            raise VPPRuntimeError("Invalid address family hints. " "Cannot continue.")
+        if not bootstrapapi:
+            if not (verify_enum_hint(VppEnum.vl_api_address_family_t)):
+                raise VPPRuntimeError(
+                    "Invalid address family hints. " "Cannot continue."
+                )
 
         self.transport = VppTransport(
             self, read_timeout=read_timeout, server_address=server_address
@@ -573,6 +598,21 @@ class VPPApiClient:
             else:
                 self.logger.debug("No such message type or failed CRC checksum: %s", n)
 
+    def get_api_definitions(self):
+        """get_api_definition. Bootstrap from the embedded memclnt.api.json file."""
+
+        # Bootstrap so we can call the get_api_json function
+        self._register_functions(do_async=False)
+
+        r = self.api.get_api_json()
+        if r.retval != 0:
+            raise VPPApiError("Failed to load API definitions from VPP")
+
+        # Process JSON
+        m, s = VPPApiJSONFiles.process_json_array_str(r.json)
+        self.messages.update(m)
+        self.services.update(s)
+
     def connect_internal(self, name, msg_handler, chroot_prefix, rx_qlen, do_async):
         pfx = chroot_prefix.encode("utf-8") if chroot_prefix else None
 
@@ -580,6 +620,10 @@ class VPPApiClient:
         if rv != 0:
             raise VPPIOError(2, "Connect failed")
         self.vpp_dictionary_maxid = self.transport.msg_table_max_index()
+
+        # Register functions
+        if self.bootstrapapi:
+            self.get_api_definitions()
         self._register_functions(do_async=do_async)
 
         # Initialise control ping
@@ -588,6 +632,7 @@ class VPPApiClient:
             ("control_ping" + "_" + crc[2:])
         )
         self.control_ping_msgdef = self.messages["control_ping"]
+
         if self.async_thread:
             self.event_thread = threading.Thread(target=self.thread_msg_handler)
             self.event_thread.daemon = True
@@ -659,6 +704,7 @@ class VPPApiClient:
         )
 
         (i, ci, context), size = header.unpack(msg, 0)
+
         if self.id_names[i] == "rx_thread_exit":
             return