websocket-chat

This is a simple POC that shows how to broadcast "instant" messages across browsers / clients using WebSockets and avoiding any polling. The goal of building this POC was just test WebSockets and increase the knowledge about this technology.

Installation

1. Install NodeJS (version 12+), we recommend doing that using NVM
2. Install typescript utils (recommended globally)

npm install -g ts-node
npm install -g typescript

3. Clone this repo:

git clone git@github.com:jordicenzano/websocket-chat.git

3. Install packages

cd server
npm install
cd ..

4. (ONLY if you want to use the secure version)Create self signed certificate and key running:

cd server/scripts
./createSelfSignedCert.sh
cd ../..

Test it

1. Start the backend webSocket server code in a place where the clients can reach, for instance:

ts-node ./server/src/ws-chat-server.ts -p 8080

The previous command will run the server in your computer on port 8080

2. Load this webpage in your device WebSocketChat

3. Type ws://localhost:8080 (OR your server location) as WS Server URL (*)

4. Type myroom (OR the room name you want) in Room ID

5. Type RANDOM (OR the ID you want) in Name

6. Press the "Connect" button

7. Repeat steps 2 to 6 with as many clients as you want

8. Send a messages

Tested with Chrome in MACOS.

(*) Some browsers (like Safari) can throw an error if you try to connect an NON encrypted WebSocket (ws:) from a HTTPS page.