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# socket.io | |
[](https://replit.com/@socketio/socketio-minimal-example) | |
[](#backers) [](#sponsors) | |
[](https://github.com/socketio/socket.io/actions) | |
[](https://www.npmjs.com/package/socket.io) | |
 | |
[](https://slackin-socketio.now.sh) | |
## Features | |
Socket.IO enables real-time bidirectional event-based communication. It consists of: | |
- 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) | |
- [Python](https://github.com/miguelgrinberg/python-socketio) | |
- [.NET](https://github.com/doghappy/socket.io-client-csharp) | |
- [Rust](https://github.com/1c3t3a/rust-socketio) | |
- [PHP](https://github.com/ElephantIO/elephant.io) | |
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://socket.io/docs/v3/client-api/#new-Manager-url-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', socket => { | |
socket.emit('request', /* … */); // emit an event to the socket | |
io.emit('broadcast', /* … */); // emit an event to all connected sockets | |
socket.on('reply', () => { /* … */ }); // listen to the event | |
}); | |
``` | |
#### Cross-browser | |
Browser support is tested in Sauce Labs: | |
[](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 | |
// with npm | |
npm install socket.io | |
// with yarn | |
yarn add socket.io | |
``` | |
## How to use | |
The following example attaches socket.io to a plain Node.JS | |
HTTP server listening on port `3000`. | |
```js | |
const server = require('http').createServer(); | |
const io = require('socket.io')(server); | |
io.on('connection', client => { | |
client.on('event', data => { /* … */ }); | |
client.on('disconnect', () => { /* … */ }); | |
}); | |
server.listen(3000); | |
``` | |
### Standalone | |
```js | |
const io = require('socket.io')(); | |
io.on('connection', client => { ... }); | |
io.listen(3000); | |
``` | |
### Module syntax | |
```js | |
import { Server } from "socket.io"; | |
const io = new Server(server); | |
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`, not the express application | |
function. Also make sure to call `.listen` on the `server`, not the `app`. | |
```js | |
const app = require('express')(); | |
const server = require('http').createServer(app); | |
const io = require('socket.io')(server); | |
io.on('connection', () => { /* … */ }); | |
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 | |
const app = require('koa')(); | |
const server = require('http').createServer(app.callback()); | |
const io = require('socket.io')(server); | |
io.on('connection', () => { /* … */ }); | |
server.listen(3000); | |
``` | |
### In conjunction with Fastify | |
To integrate Socket.io in your Fastify application you just need to | |
register `fastify-socket.io` plugin. It will create a `decorator` | |
called `io`. | |
```js | |
const app = require('fastify')(); | |
app.register(require('fastify-socket.io')); | |
app.io.on('connection', () => { /* … */ }); | |
app.listen(3000); | |
``` | |
## Documentation | |
Please see the documentation [here](https://socket.io/docs/). | |
The source code of the website can be found [here](https://github.com/socketio/socket.io-website). 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)] | |
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## License | |
[MIT](LICENSE) | |