Briefly

Server component of G53SQM 14/15 coursework

Usage

Initialise

npm install

Installs all dependencies found in package.json.

Build

npm run build

Builds source using Gulp.

Test

npm run test

Performs tests using jasmine-node and Frisby.

Run

npm start

Runs the server using supervisor.

Interacting with Briefly

For a fully functional Briefly client refer to mherod/Briefly-Client.

RESTful API

This API is used for app initialisation (authorising user, getting latest messages, retrieving current active users) as well as creating new messages and deauthorising the session.

Account creation

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"username":"brodes","password":"password"}' \
https://briefly-chat.herokuapp.com/user

Username must be unique, password is stored unencrypted. If successful a success object is returned:

{
    success: "User created"
}

Authorisation

curl -X POST -u 'username:pass' https://briefly-chat.herokuapp.com/auth

Returns a unique token if valid:

{
    token: "12345",
    username: "brodie"
}

Deauthorisation

curl -X DELETE https://briefly-chat.herokuapp.com/auth?token=12345

Returns a success object if successful:

{
    "success": "Invalidated token"
}

Create message

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"message":"Hello world!"}' \
https://briefly-chat.herokuapp.com/message?token=12345

Returns message object if successful:

{
    message: "Hello world!",
    at: 1420025338,
    from: "brodie"
}

Get messages

curl -X GET https://briefly-chat.herokuapp.com/messages?token=12345

Returns last 10 messages (array of message objects) if successful.

Get active users

curl -X GET https://briefly-chat.herokuapp.com/users/active?token=12345

Returns an array of user objects of active users. These users are deemed active based on whether they are connected to the Real Time API with a valid access token.

Real Time API

This API should only be used to provide Real Time updates to the client. When connected using a valid token the user will be marked as active. On disconnection or deauthorisation the user in question will be marked as inactive.

Connecting

SocketIO.connect "https://briefly-chat.herokuapp.com/?token=abcdefgh"

New message event

SocketIO.on "message", (data) ->

Where data is a valid message object.

Active users change event

SocketIO.on "users/active", (data) ->

Where data is an array of user objects.