Installing NowJS is very easy. In order to get started, you'll first need to have node.js and npm.
At your command line, simply enter npm install nodejs.
NowJS needs an instance of a node.js http server in order to communicate. If your application is already using an http server, NowJS can use the existing instance. Otherwise, you will need to create one. Here's an example server:
var yourHttpServer = require('http').createServer(function(req, response){ /* Serve your static files */ });
yourHttpServer.listen(8080);
At the top of your code, place the following:
var everyone = require("nowjs").initialize(yourHttpServer);
On pages that you would like to use NowJS on, simply include this script tag in your HTML head:
<script src="/nowjs/now.js"></script>
NowJS only works on pages that are served through the same httpServer instance that was passed into the initialize function above.
The secret to NowJS lies in two magic objects called now and everyone.now. In the Setup on the server section, we created the everyone object. Including the script tag in Setup on the client automatically added the now object to the document's global namespace.
###The shared namespaces
Each client has a now object, which is a namespace that is shared between the server and that particular client. Any variables or functions that are changed/added in this shared namespace get synced automatically to the server.
The server has the everyone.now object, which is a namespace that is shared between the server and all clients. When the server adds/changes variables and functions in everyone, those changes are reflected in each client's now namespace. Variables added or changed in the everyone object will be reflected in all currently connected clients as well as all future clients.
###Remote function calls Syncing variables is useful but the true power of NowJS lies in remote function calls. This means that the client can call functions that execute on the server, or vice-versa.
Functions that are placed in a shared namespace can be called by either the server or the client. Functions are executed on the machine on which the function was created. When calling a remote function, pass in the arguments as usual. You may pass a callback function as an extra argument. When the remote function returns, the callback function is run with the return value as its first argument.
When a remote machine invokes a function, the now namespace that is shared between it and the remote machine is in scope. This namespace can be accessed in the function body through the this.now object (i.e. this client's now). If the function is being executed on the server, the everyone.now namespace also remains available.
###Special behavior of everyone.now
When you call a function inside the everyone.now namespace, NowJS will attempt to call the corresponding function in each connected client's now namespace. If the corresponding function exists, a remote function call will be made to that client. If not, a call will not be made.
Setting variables inside the everyone.now namespace will set the same value uniformly across all clients' now namespaces. It is possible to also get/read values from everyone.now, but since clients may change the value of the variable in their own now namespace, the returned value is indeterminate/meaningless.
Now that you've read the User Manual guide, try the NowJS Quick Start and Best Practices
Have more questions? You can reach us in #nowjs on freenode