martd is a push server.
Websocket requires server code. This is meant to be a pluggable solution.
martd could be hosted behind nginx, or can run as a standalone server. Supports both HTTP and HTTPS.
Browser, or other clients connect to martd and wait for events. A JS library is available as part of this server, /client.js.
The emphasis is on supporting all possible clients/browsers.
Clients wait on data on "channels". Channels have data retention, and client related attributes. Channels are created from server side, IP whitelisting, or shared cookie. Channels can be pushed into by server or a client with proper key (one of the attributes of channel).
This library is meant for modest amount of data push from server to browser/client, it may not be the best choise for data heavy - game - like situations.
A demo will be available at http://martd.amitu.com
var handle = martd.sub(
"channel", function(payload){
/* called everytime we get payload on channel */
/*
payload is raw data, if you are expecting to be JSON, you will have
JSON.parse() it here
*/
}, etag /* optional */
);
/* handle can be used to unsubscribe */
window.setTimeout(
handle.cancel, 10000 // cancles subscription after 10 seconds
)
/* martd.cid is a uniq id generated on each page load. */Check sub.py that I use for testing on command line, and index.html for browser.
Clients subscribe to "channels". Each client can connect to one or more channels.
Channels can have types. The first "push" to channel sets the channel attributes.
.size=10, max data in channel is stored in a "circular queue". Oldest messages are dropped to make way for new ones..life=3600, max life of data in channel..one2one=false, only one client allowed in this channel, subsequent clients are rejected. If more than one are already connected when this attribute is being set, first one is left and rest ones are kicked out..key=key, unique key that acts like password for this channel, all push require this key.
Each push to channel must contain all attributes, as channel can be dropped anytime, whenever there is no data left in channel and no client is connected.
Check publish.py that I use for testing.
Push can be sent from "server side". An empty push can be sent to set channel properties. This "empty" message would be kept in queue, but would not be sent to connected clients.
Each push changes the etag for the channel. etag is sent to client to keep track of seen status of a message.
For production, this server should be configured behind nginx, on the same domain as main website.
For testing, this server takes a server location as command line argument, and proxy passes everything but the http requests it is interested in.
For development, it comes packaged with a SSL certificate. If proxy pass feature is being used with prod, you can pass your own SSL certificate.