| |
| # socket.io |
| |
| [](#backers) [](#sponsors) |
| [](https://travis-ci.org/socketio/socket.io) |
| [](https://david-dm.org/socketio/socket.io) |
| [](https://david-dm.org/socketio/socket.io#info=devDependencies) |
| [](https://www.npmjs.com/package/socket.io) |
|  |
| [](https://slackin-socketio.now.sh) |
| |
| ## Features |
| |
| Socket.IO enables real-time bidirectional event-based communication. It consists in: |
| |
| - a Node.js server (this repository) |
| - a [Javascript client library](https://github.com/socketio/socket.io-client) for the browser (or a Node.js client) |
| |
| Some implementations in other languages are also available: |
| |
| - [Java](https://github.com/socketio/socket.io-client-java) |
| - [C++](https://github.com/socketio/socket.io-client-cpp) |
| - [Swift](https://github.com/socketio/socket.io-client-swift) |
| - [Dart](https://github.com/rikulo/socket.io-client-dart) |
| |
| Its main features are: |
| |
| #### Reliability |
| |
| Connections are established even in the presence of: |
| - proxies and load balancers. |
| - personal firewall and antivirus software. |
| |
| For this purpose, it relies on [Engine.IO](https://github.com/socketio/engine.io), which first establishes a long-polling connection, then tries to upgrade to better transports that are "tested" on the side, like WebSocket. Please see the [Goals](https://github.com/socketio/engine.io#goals) section for more information. |
| |
| #### Auto-reconnection support |
| |
| Unless instructed otherwise a disconnected client will try to reconnect forever, until the server is available again. Please see the available reconnection options [here](https://github.com/socketio/socket.io-client/blob/master/docs/API.md#new-managerurl-options). |
| |
| #### Disconnection detection |
| |
| A heartbeat mechanism is implemented at the Engine.IO level, allowing both the server and the client to know when the other one is not responding anymore. |
| |
| That functionality is achieved with timers set on both the server and the client, with timeout values (the `pingInterval` and `pingTimeout` parameters) shared during the connection handshake. Those timers require any subsequent client calls to be directed to the same server, hence the `sticky-session` requirement when using multiples nodes. |
| |
| #### Binary support |
| |
| Any serializable data structures can be emitted, including: |
| |
| - [ArrayBuffer](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/ArrayBuffer) and [Blob](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Blob) in the browser |
| - [ArrayBuffer](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/ArrayBuffer) and [Buffer](https://nodejs.org/api/buffer.html) in Node.js |
| |
| #### Simple and convenient API |
| |
| Sample code: |
| |
| ```js |
| io.on('connection', function(socket){ |
| socket.emit('request', /* */); // emit an event to the socket |
| io.emit('broadcast', /* */); // emit an event to all connected sockets |
| socket.on('reply', function(){ /* */ }); // listen to the event |
| }); |
| ``` |
| |
| #### Cross-browser |
| |
| Browser support is tested in Saucelabs: |
| |
| [](https://saucelabs.com/u/socket) |
| |
| #### Multiplexing support |
| |
| In order to create separation of concerns within your application (for example per module, or based on permissions), Socket.IO allows you to create several `Namespaces`, which will act as separate communication channels but will share the same underlying connection. |
| |
| #### Room support |
| |
| Within each `Namespace`, you can define arbitrary channels, called `Rooms`, that sockets can join and leave. You can then broadcast to any given room, reaching every socket that has joined it. |
| |
| This is a useful feature to send notifications to a group of users, or to a given user connected on several devices for example. |
| |
| |
| **Note:** Socket.IO is not a WebSocket implementation. Although Socket.IO indeed uses WebSocket as a transport when possible, it adds some metadata to each packet: the packet type, the namespace and the ack id when a message acknowledgement is needed. That is why a WebSocket client will not be able to successfully connect to a Socket.IO server, and a Socket.IO client will not be able to connect to a WebSocket server (like `ws://echo.websocket.org`) either. Please see the protocol specification [here](https://github.com/socketio/socket.io-protocol). |
| |
| ## Installation |
| |
| ```bash |
| npm install socket.io --save |
| ``` |
| |
| ## How to use |
| |
| The following example attaches socket.io to a plain Node.JS |
| HTTP server listening on port `3000`. |
| |
| ```js |
| var server = require('http').createServer(); |
| var io = require('socket.io')(server); |
| io.on('connection', function(client){ |
| client.on('event', function(data){}); |
| client.on('disconnect', function(){}); |
| }); |
| server.listen(3000); |
| ``` |
| |
| ### Standalone |
| |
| ```js |
| var io = require('socket.io')(); |
| io.on('connection', function(client){}); |
| io.listen(3000); |
| ``` |
| |
| ### In conjunction with Express |
| |
| Starting with **3.0**, express applications have become request handler |
| functions that you pass to `http` or `http` `Server` instances. You need |
| to pass the `Server` to `socket.io`, and not the express application |
| function. Also make sure to call `.listen` on the `server`, not the `app`. |
| |
| ```js |
| var app = require('express')(); |
| var server = require('http').createServer(app); |
| var io = require('socket.io')(server); |
| io.on('connection', function(){ /* … */ }); |
| server.listen(3000); |
| ``` |
| |
| ### In conjunction with Koa |
| |
| Like Express.JS, Koa works by exposing an application as a request |
| handler function, but only by calling the `callback` method. |
| |
| ```js |
| var app = require('koa')(); |
| var server = require('http').createServer(app.callback()); |
| var io = require('socket.io')(server); |
| io.on('connection', function(){ /* … */ }); |
| server.listen(3000); |
| ``` |
| |
| ## Documentation |
| |
| Please see the documentation [here](/docs/README.md). Contributions are welcome! |
| |
| ## Debug / logging |
| |
| Socket.IO is powered by [debug](https://github.com/visionmedia/debug). |
| In order to see all the debug output, run your app with the environment variable |
| `DEBUG` including the desired scope. |
| |
| To see the output from all of Socket.IO's debugging scopes you can use: |
| |
| ``` |
| DEBUG=socket.io* node myapp |
| ``` |
| |
| ## Testing |
| |
| ``` |
| npm test |
| ``` |
| This runs the `gulp` task `test`. By default the test will be run with the source code in `lib` directory. |
| |
| Set the environmental variable `TEST_VERSION` to `compat` to test the transpiled es5-compat version of the code. |
| |
| The `gulp` task `test` will always transpile the source code into es5 and export to `dist` first before running the test. |
| |
| |
| ## Backers |
| |
| Support us with a monthly donation and help us continue our activities. [[Become a backer](https://opencollective.com/socketio#backer)] |
| |
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| |
| |
| ## Sponsors |
| |
| Become a sponsor and get your logo on our README on Github with a link to your site. [[Become a sponsor](https://opencollective.com/socketio#sponsor)] |
| |
| <a href="https://opencollective.com/socketio/sponsor/0/website" target="_blank"><img src="https://opencollective.com/socketio/sponsor/0/avatar.svg"></a> |
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| |
| |
| ## License |
| |
| [MIT](LICENSE) |