550 lines
		
	
	
		
			15 KiB
		
	
	
	
		
			Markdown
		
	
	
	
	
	
			
		
		
	
	
			550 lines
		
	
	
		
			15 KiB
		
	
	
	
		
			Markdown
		
	
	
	
	
	
| # ws: a Node.js WebSocket library
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| 
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| [](https://www.npmjs.com/package/ws)
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| [](https://github.com/websockets/ws/actions?query=workflow%3ACI+branch%3Amaster)
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| [](https://coveralls.io/github/websockets/ws)
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| 
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| ws is a simple to use, blazing fast, and thoroughly tested WebSocket client and
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| server implementation.
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| 
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| Passes the quite extensive Autobahn test suite: [server][server-report],
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| [client][client-report].
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| 
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| **Note**: This module does not work in the browser. The client in the docs is a
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| reference to a back end with the role of a client in the WebSocket
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| communication. Browser clients must use the native
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| [`WebSocket`](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/WebSocket)
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| object. To make the same code work seamlessly on Node.js and the browser, you
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| can use one of the many wrappers available on npm, like
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| [isomorphic-ws](https://github.com/heineiuo/isomorphic-ws).
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| 
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| ## Table of Contents
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| 
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| - [Protocol support](#protocol-support)
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| - [Installing](#installing)
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|   - [Opt-in for performance](#opt-in-for-performance)
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|     - [Legacy opt-in for performance](#legacy-opt-in-for-performance)
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| - [API docs](#api-docs)
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| - [WebSocket compression](#websocket-compression)
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| - [Usage examples](#usage-examples)
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|   - [Sending and receiving text data](#sending-and-receiving-text-data)
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|   - [Sending binary data](#sending-binary-data)
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|   - [Simple server](#simple-server)
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|   - [External HTTP/S server](#external-https-server)
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|   - [Multiple servers sharing a single HTTP/S server](#multiple-servers-sharing-a-single-https-server)
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|   - [Client authentication](#client-authentication)
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|   - [Server broadcast](#server-broadcast)
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|   - [Round-trip time](#round-trip-time)
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|   - [Use the Node.js streams API](#use-the-nodejs-streams-api)
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|   - [Other examples](#other-examples)
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| - [FAQ](#faq)
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|   - [How to get the IP address of the client?](#how-to-get-the-ip-address-of-the-client)
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|   - [How to detect and close broken connections?](#how-to-detect-and-close-broken-connections)
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|   - [How to connect via a proxy?](#how-to-connect-via-a-proxy)
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| - [Changelog](#changelog)
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| - [License](#license)
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| 
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| ## Protocol support
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| 
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| - **HyBi drafts 07-12** (Use the option `protocolVersion: 8`)
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| - **HyBi drafts 13-17** (Current default, alternatively option
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|   `protocolVersion: 13`)
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| 
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| ## Installing
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| 
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| ```
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| npm install ws
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| ```
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| 
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| ### Opt-in for performance
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| 
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| [bufferutil][] is an optional module that can be installed alongside the ws
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| module:
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| 
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| ```
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| npm install --save-optional bufferutil
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| ```
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| 
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| This is a binary addon that improves the performance of certain operations such
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| as masking and unmasking the data payload of the WebSocket frames. Prebuilt
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| binaries are available for the most popular platforms, so you don't necessarily
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| need to have a C++ compiler installed on your machine.
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| 
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| To force ws to not use bufferutil, use the
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| [`WS_NO_BUFFER_UTIL`](./doc/ws.md#ws_no_buffer_util) environment variable. This
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| can be useful to enhance security in systems where a user can put a package in
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| the package search path of an application of another user, due to how the
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| Node.js resolver algorithm works.
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| 
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| #### Legacy opt-in for performance
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| 
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| If you are running on an old version of Node.js (prior to v18.14.0), ws also
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| supports the [utf-8-validate][] module:
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| 
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| ```
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| npm install --save-optional utf-8-validate
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| ```
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| 
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| This contains a binary polyfill for [`buffer.isUtf8()`][].
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| 
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| To force ws to not use utf-8-validate, use the
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| [`WS_NO_UTF_8_VALIDATE`](./doc/ws.md#ws_no_utf_8_validate) environment variable.
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| 
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| ## API docs
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| 
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| See [`/doc/ws.md`](./doc/ws.md) for Node.js-like documentation of ws classes and
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| utility functions.
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| 
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| ## WebSocket compression
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| 
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| ws supports the [permessage-deflate extension][permessage-deflate] which enables
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| the client and server to negotiate a compression algorithm and its parameters,
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| and then selectively apply it to the data payloads of each WebSocket message.
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| 
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| The extension is disabled by default on the server and enabled by default on the
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| client. It adds a significant overhead in terms of performance and memory
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| consumption so we suggest to enable it only if it is really needed.
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| 
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| Note that Node.js has a variety of issues with high-performance compression,
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| where increased concurrency, especially on Linux, can lead to [catastrophic
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| memory fragmentation][node-zlib-bug] and slow performance. If you intend to use
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| permessage-deflate in production, it is worthwhile to set up a test
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| representative of your workload and ensure Node.js/zlib will handle it with
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| acceptable performance and memory usage.
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| 
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| Tuning of permessage-deflate can be done via the options defined below. You can
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| also use `zlibDeflateOptions` and `zlibInflateOptions`, which is passed directly
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| into the creation of [raw deflate/inflate streams][node-zlib-deflaterawdocs].
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| 
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| See [the docs][ws-server-options] for more options.
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| 
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| ```js
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| import WebSocket, { WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
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| 
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| const wss = new WebSocketServer({
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|   port: 8080,
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|   perMessageDeflate: {
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|     zlibDeflateOptions: {
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|       // See zlib defaults.
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|       chunkSize: 1024,
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|       memLevel: 7,
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|       level: 3
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|     },
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|     zlibInflateOptions: {
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|       chunkSize: 10 * 1024
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|     },
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|     // Other options settable:
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|     clientNoContextTakeover: true, // Defaults to negotiated value.
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|     serverNoContextTakeover: true, // Defaults to negotiated value.
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|     serverMaxWindowBits: 10, // Defaults to negotiated value.
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|     // Below options specified as default values.
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|     concurrencyLimit: 10, // Limits zlib concurrency for perf.
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|     threshold: 1024 // Size (in bytes) below which messages
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|     // should not be compressed if context takeover is disabled.
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|   }
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| The client will only use the extension if it is supported and enabled on the
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| server. To always disable the extension on the client set the
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| `perMessageDeflate` option to `false`.
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| 
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| ```js
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| import WebSocket from 'ws';
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| 
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| const ws = new WebSocket('ws://www.host.com/path', {
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|   perMessageDeflate: false
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| ## Usage examples
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| 
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| ### Sending and receiving text data
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| 
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| ```js
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| import WebSocket from 'ws';
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| 
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| const ws = new WebSocket('ws://www.host.com/path');
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| 
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| ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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| ws.on('open', function open() {
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|   ws.send('something');
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| });
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| 
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| ws.on('message', function message(data) {
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|   console.log('received: %s', data);
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| ### Sending binary data
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| 
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| ```js
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| import WebSocket from 'ws';
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| 
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| const ws = new WebSocket('ws://www.host.com/path');
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| 
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| ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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| ws.on('open', function open() {
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|   const array = new Float32Array(5);
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| 
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|   for (var i = 0; i < array.length; ++i) {
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|     array[i] = i / 2;
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|   }
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| 
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|   ws.send(array);
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| ### Simple server
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| 
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| ```js
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| import { WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
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| 
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| const wss = new WebSocketServer({ port: 8080 });
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| 
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| wss.on('connection', function connection(ws) {
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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|   ws.on('message', function message(data) {
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|     console.log('received: %s', data);
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|   });
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| 
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|   ws.send('something');
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| ### External HTTP/S server
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| 
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| ```js
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| import { createServer } from 'https';
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| import { readFileSync } from 'fs';
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| import { WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
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| 
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| const server = createServer({
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|   cert: readFileSync('/path/to/cert.pem'),
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|   key: readFileSync('/path/to/key.pem')
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| });
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| const wss = new WebSocketServer({ server });
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| 
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| wss.on('connection', function connection(ws) {
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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|   ws.on('message', function message(data) {
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|     console.log('received: %s', data);
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|   });
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| 
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|   ws.send('something');
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| });
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| 
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| server.listen(8080);
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| ```
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| 
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| ### Multiple servers sharing a single HTTP/S server
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| 
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| ```js
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| import { createServer } from 'http';
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| import { parse } from 'url';
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| import { WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
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| 
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| const server = createServer();
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| const wss1 = new WebSocketServer({ noServer: true });
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| const wss2 = new WebSocketServer({ noServer: true });
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| 
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| wss1.on('connection', function connection(ws) {
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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|   // ...
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| });
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| 
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| wss2.on('connection', function connection(ws) {
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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|   // ...
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| });
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| 
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| server.on('upgrade', function upgrade(request, socket, head) {
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|   const { pathname } = parse(request.url);
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| 
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|   if (pathname === '/foo') {
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|     wss1.handleUpgrade(request, socket, head, function done(ws) {
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|       wss1.emit('connection', ws, request);
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|     });
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|   } else if (pathname === '/bar') {
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|     wss2.handleUpgrade(request, socket, head, function done(ws) {
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|       wss2.emit('connection', ws, request);
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|     });
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|   } else {
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|     socket.destroy();
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|   }
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| });
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| 
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| server.listen(8080);
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| ```
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| 
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| ### Client authentication
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| 
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| ```js
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| import { createServer } from 'http';
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| import { WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
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| 
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| function onSocketError(err) {
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|   console.error(err);
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| }
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| 
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| const server = createServer();
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| const wss = new WebSocketServer({ noServer: true });
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| 
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| wss.on('connection', function connection(ws, request, client) {
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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|   ws.on('message', function message(data) {
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|     console.log(`Received message ${data} from user ${client}`);
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|   });
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| });
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| 
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| server.on('upgrade', function upgrade(request, socket, head) {
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|   socket.on('error', onSocketError);
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| 
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|   // This function is not defined on purpose. Implement it with your own logic.
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|   authenticate(request, function next(err, client) {
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|     if (err || !client) {
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|       socket.write('HTTP/1.1 401 Unauthorized\r\n\r\n');
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|       socket.destroy();
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|       return;
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|     }
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| 
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|     socket.removeListener('error', onSocketError);
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| 
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|     wss.handleUpgrade(request, socket, head, function done(ws) {
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|       wss.emit('connection', ws, request, client);
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|     });
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|   });
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| });
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| 
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| server.listen(8080);
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| ```
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| 
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| Also see the provided [example][session-parse-example] using `express-session`.
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| 
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| ### Server broadcast
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| 
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| A client WebSocket broadcasting to all connected WebSocket clients, including
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| itself.
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| 
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| ```js
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| import WebSocket, { WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
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| 
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| const wss = new WebSocketServer({ port: 8080 });
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| 
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| wss.on('connection', function connection(ws) {
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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|   ws.on('message', function message(data, isBinary) {
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|     wss.clients.forEach(function each(client) {
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|       if (client.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
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|         client.send(data, { binary: isBinary });
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|       }
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|     });
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|   });
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| A client WebSocket broadcasting to every other connected WebSocket clients,
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| excluding itself.
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| 
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| ```js
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| import WebSocket, { WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
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| 
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| const wss = new WebSocketServer({ port: 8080 });
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| 
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| wss.on('connection', function connection(ws) {
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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|   ws.on('message', function message(data, isBinary) {
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|     wss.clients.forEach(function each(client) {
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|       if (client !== ws && client.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
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|         client.send(data, { binary: isBinary });
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|       }
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|     });
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|   });
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| ### Round-trip time
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| 
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| ```js
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| import WebSocket from 'ws';
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| 
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| const ws = new WebSocket('wss://websocket-echo.com/');
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| 
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| ws.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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| ws.on('open', function open() {
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|   console.log('connected');
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|   ws.send(Date.now());
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| });
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| 
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| ws.on('close', function close() {
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|   console.log('disconnected');
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| });
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| 
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| ws.on('message', function message(data) {
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|   console.log(`Round-trip time: ${Date.now() - data} ms`);
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| 
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|   setTimeout(function timeout() {
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|     ws.send(Date.now());
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|   }, 500);
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| ### Use the Node.js streams API
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| 
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| ```js
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| import WebSocket, { createWebSocketStream } from 'ws';
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| 
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| const ws = new WebSocket('wss://websocket-echo.com/');
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| 
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| const duplex = createWebSocketStream(ws, { encoding: 'utf8' });
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| 
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| duplex.on('error', console.error);
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| 
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| duplex.pipe(process.stdout);
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| process.stdin.pipe(duplex);
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| ```
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| 
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| ### Other examples
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| 
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| For a full example with a browser client communicating with a ws server, see the
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| examples folder.
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| 
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| Otherwise, see the test cases.
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| 
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| ## FAQ
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| 
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| ### How to get the IP address of the client?
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| 
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| The remote IP address can be obtained from the raw socket.
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| 
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| ```js
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| import { WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
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| 
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| const wss = new WebSocketServer({ port: 8080 });
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| 
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| wss.on('connection', function connection(ws, req) {
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|   const ip = req.socket.remoteAddress;
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| 
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| When the server runs behind a proxy like NGINX, the de-facto standard is to use
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| the `X-Forwarded-For` header.
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| 
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| ```js
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| wss.on('connection', function connection(ws, req) {
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|   const ip = req.headers['x-forwarded-for'].split(',')[0].trim();
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| 
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| ### How to detect and close broken connections?
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| 
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| Sometimes the link between the server and the client can be interrupted in a way
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| that keeps both the server and the client unaware of the broken state of the
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| connection (e.g. when pulling the cord).
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| 
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| In these cases ping messages can be used as a means to verify that the remote
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| endpoint is still responsive.
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| 
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| ```js
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| import { WebSocketServer } from 'ws';
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| 
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| function heartbeat() {
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|   this.isAlive = true;
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| }
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| 
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| const wss = new WebSocketServer({ port: 8080 });
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| 
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| wss.on('connection', function connection(ws) {
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|   ws.isAlive = true;
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|   ws.on('error', console.error);
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|   ws.on('pong', heartbeat);
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| });
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| 
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| const interval = setInterval(function ping() {
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|   wss.clients.forEach(function each(ws) {
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|     if (ws.isAlive === false) return ws.terminate();
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| 
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|     ws.isAlive = false;
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|     ws.ping();
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|   });
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| }, 30000);
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| 
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| wss.on('close', function close() {
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|   clearInterval(interval);
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| Pong messages are automatically sent in response to ping messages as required by
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| the spec.
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| 
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| Just like the server example above your clients might as well lose connection
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| without knowing it. You might want to add a ping listener on your clients to
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| prevent that. A simple implementation would be:
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| 
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| ```js
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| import WebSocket from 'ws';
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| 
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| function heartbeat() {
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|   clearTimeout(this.pingTimeout);
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| 
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|   // Use `WebSocket#terminate()`, which immediately destroys the connection,
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|   // instead of `WebSocket#close()`, which waits for the close timer.
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|   // Delay should be equal to the interval at which your server
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|   // sends out pings plus a conservative assumption of the latency.
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|   this.pingTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
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|     this.terminate();
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|   }, 30000 + 1000);
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| }
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| 
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| const client = new WebSocket('wss://websocket-echo.com/');
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| 
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| client.on('error', console.error);
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| client.on('open', heartbeat);
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| client.on('ping', heartbeat);
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| client.on('close', function clear() {
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|   clearTimeout(this.pingTimeout);
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| });
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| ```
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| 
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| ### How to connect via a proxy?
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| 
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| Use a custom `http.Agent` implementation like [https-proxy-agent][] or
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| [socks-proxy-agent][].
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| 
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| ## Changelog
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| 
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| We're using the GitHub [releases][changelog] for changelog entries.
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| 
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| ## License
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| 
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| [MIT](LICENSE)
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| 
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| [`buffer.isutf8()`]: https://nodejs.org/api/buffer.html#bufferisutf8input
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| [bufferutil]: https://github.com/websockets/bufferutil
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| [changelog]: https://github.com/websockets/ws/releases
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| [client-report]: http://websockets.github.io/ws/autobahn/clients/
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| [https-proxy-agent]: https://github.com/TooTallNate/node-https-proxy-agent
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| [node-zlib-bug]: https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/8871
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| [node-zlib-deflaterawdocs]:
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|   https://nodejs.org/api/zlib.html#zlib_zlib_createdeflateraw_options
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| [permessage-deflate]: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7692
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| [server-report]: http://websockets.github.io/ws/autobahn/servers/
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| [session-parse-example]: ./examples/express-session-parse
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| [socks-proxy-agent]: https://github.com/TooTallNate/node-socks-proxy-agent
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| [utf-8-validate]: https://github.com/websockets/utf-8-validate
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| [ws-server-options]: ./doc/ws.md#new-websocketserveroptions-callback
 | 
