Feedme Node.js Server Core

A low-level Feedme server library for Node.js created and maintained as a core part of the Feedme project.

This library Exposes a simple and flexible API for client conversation management that is compliant with the Feedme specification. Application developers may be more interested in Feedme Node.js Server.

A WebSocket transport is maintained as a core part of the project and is also supported by the Feedme Javascript Client.

Library contributors and transport developers should see the developer documentation.

• Feedme Node.js Server Core
  • Getting Started
  • API
    • Initialization
    • States
    • Events
      • starting
      • start
      • stopping
      • stop
      • connect
      • handshake
      • action
      • feedOpen
      • feedClose
      • disconnect
      • badClientMessage
      • transportError
    • Methods
      • server.state()
      • server.start()
      • server.stop()
      • server.actionRevelation(params)
      • server.feedTermination(params)
      • server.disconnect(clientId)
    • Objects
      • Handshake Objects
        • HandshakeRequest
        • HandshakeResponse
      • Action Objects
        • ActionRequest
        • ActionResponse
      • FeedOpen Objects
        • FeedOpenRequest
        • FeedOpenResponse
      • FeedClose Objects
        • FeedCloseRequest
        • FeedCloseResponse

Getting Started

Install the server:

npm install feedme-server-core

The library expects the application to provide a transport, through which it will accept client connections. To install the WebSocket transport:

npm install feedme-transport-ws

To initialize a server using the WebSocket transport:

const feedmeServerCore = require("feedme-server-core");
const wsTransport = require("feedme-transport-ws/server");

const server = feedmeServerCore({
  transport: wsTransport({ url: "https://some.url/api/websocket" }),
});

Once a server has been initialized, the application can listen for events and start the server.

API

Initialization

To initialize a server:

const server = feedmeServerCore(options);

The server is initialized in the stopped state and will remain stopped until there is a call to server.start().

The options argument is an object with the following properties:

• options.transport - Required Object.

  A transport object used to listen for and interact with clients. The transport must satisfy the requirements laid out in the developer documentation.

  Applications must not operate on the transport object directly and must not pass a given transport object to more than one server instance.

  The tranport object must be in the stopped state.

• options.handshakeMs - Optional non-negative integer. Defaults to 30000.

  Specifies how long to wait for a client to transmit a valid and library-compatible Handshake message after connecting via the transport.

  If greater than 0, then the server will wait handshakeMs for a newly-connected client to transmit a successful Handshake message before forcefully disconnecting the client.

  If set to 0, then the server will wait indefinitely for a newly-connected client to transmit a successful Handshake message.

• options.terminationMs - Optional non-negative integer. Defaults to 30000.

  Specifies feed termination window duration. If greater than zero, then termination windows last terminationMs. If set to zero, then feed termination windows last for the duration of a client's connection.

  A termination window begins after a FeedTermination message has been transmitted to a client. During the termination window, the server will accept either a FeedOpen or FeedClose message referencing the feed. This behavior accounts for transport latency, which can cause a client to transmit a FeedClose message while a FeedTermination message is in transit from the server.

  If the server receives a FeedClose message referencing a feed during the termination window, it will respond with a FeedCloseResponse indicating success and will not emit a feedClose event. The server will expect the next client message referencing the feed to be FeedOpen and will respond with a ViolationResponse if it receives another FeedClose.

  If the server receives a FeedOpen message referencing a feed during the termination window, it will emit a feedOpen event as usual.

Errors thrown:

• err.message === "INVALID_ARGUMENT: ..."

  The options argument was invalid.

States

A server can be in one of four states:

• stopped - The server is not listening for client connections and is not attempting to start, but is ready to be started.

• starting - The server is attempting to begin listening for client connections.

• started - The server is listening for client connections and may have existing connections.

• stopping - The server has closed all existing client connections and has stopped listenening for new connections, but is not ready to be restarted.

Events

Library methods may cause certain events to be emitted synchronously, so the application should generally attach any event handlers immediately after initialization.

starting

Emitted when the server state changes from stopped to starting.

Arguments: None

start

Emitted when the server state changes from starting to started.

Arguments: None

stopping

Emitted when the server state changes from starting or started to stopping.

If the server is transitioning from started to stopping, then a disconnect event is emitted for each previously-connected client before the stopping event is emitted.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. err (Optional Error) indicates the reason for the stoppage. If the stoppage resulted from a call to server.stop(), then the argument is omitted. If the stoppage resulted from a transport error, then err takes the form err.message === "FAILURE: ...".

stop

Emitted when the server state changes from stopping to stopped.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. err (Optional Error) indicates the reason for the stoppage. If the stoppage resulted from a call to server.stop(), then the argument is omitted. If the stoppage resulted from a transport error, then err takes the form err.message === "FAILURE: ..." and matches the error emitted with the stopping event.

The library will not automatically try to restart the server if the stoppage was unexpected. The application must call start() in order to restart the server.

connect

Emitted when a client connects via the transport. Emitted before any messages have been exchanged and, in particular, before a Handshake message has been transmitted by the client.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. clientId (string) is the identifier assigned by the library to the client. The client will be made aware of this identifier once it has transmitted a library-compatible Handshake message.

handshake

Emitted when the server receives a valid and library-compatible Handshake message.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. hreq (Object) is a HandshakeRequest object describing the client request.

2. hres (Object) is a HandshakeResponse object enabling the application to respond to the request.

If there is a listener attached to the handshake event, then the application must call hres.success() to return a HandshakeResponse message to the client.

If there is no listener attached to the handshake event, then the server immediataly returns a HandshakeResponse message indicating success when a library-compatible Handshake message is received.

If the client transmits a valid Handshake message specifying a Feedme version not supported by the library, then the client is sent a HandshakeResponse message indicating failure and a handshake event is not emitted .

action

Emitted when the server receives a valid Action message.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. areq (Object) is an ActionRequest object describing the action request.

2. ares (Object) is an ActionResponse object enabling the server to respond to the request.

If there is no listener attached to the action event, then the server immediately returns an ActionResponse message indicating failure when a valid Action message is received (error code "INTERNAL_ERROR").

feedOpen

Emitted when the server receives a valid FeedOpen message.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. foreq (Object) is a FeedOpenRequest object describing the client request.

2. fores (Object) is a FeedOpenResponse object enabling the application to respond to the request.

If there is no listener attached to the feedOpen event, then the server immediately returns a FeedOpenResponse message indicating failure when a valid FeedOpen message is received (error code "INTERNAL_ERROR").

feedClose

Emitted when the server receives a valid FeedClose message.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. fcreq (Object) is a FeedCloseRequest object describing the client request.

2. fcres (Object) is a FeedCloseResponse object enabling the application to respond to the request.

If there is a listener attached to the feedClose event, then the application must call fcres.success() to return a FeedCloseResponse message to the client.

If there is no listener attached to the feedClose event, then the server immediatally returns a FeedCloseResponse message indicating success when a valid FeedClose message is received.

In both cases, the server stops transmitting ActionRevelation messages referencing the feed as soon as the FeedClose message is received.

The server does not emit a feedClose event for FeedClose messages that arrive during a termination window.

disconnect

Emitted when a client connection ends.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. clientId (string) is the identifier that the library assigned to the client.

2. err (Optional Error) indicates the reason for the disconnect. If the disconnect resulted from a call to server.disconnect() then the argument is omitted.

The following errors are possible:

• err.message === "HANDSHAKE_TIMEOUT: ..."

  The client did not transmit a library-compatible Handshake message within the window specified by options.handshakeMs.

• err.message === "FAILURE: ..."

  There was a transport connectivity problem or the connection was severed intentionally by the client.

• err.message === "STOPPING: ..."

  The server is stopping.

badClientMessage

Emitted when a client violates the Feedme specification. The server transmits a ViolationResponse message to the client before the event is emitted.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. clientId (string) is the client identifier that the library assigned to the client.

2. err (Error) describes the nature of the violation.

The following errors are possible:

• err.message === "INVALID_MESSAGE: ..."

  The client transmitted a message that was not valid JSON or that violated one of the JSON schemas laid out in the Feedme specification.

  • err.clientMessage (JSON value) - The message received from the client. If the message was not valid JSON, then this property holds the raw string message, otherwise it holds the parsed JSON value.

  • err.parseError (optional Error) is the error thrown by the JSON parser, if applicable.

  • err.schemaViolation (optional string) describes the schema violation, if applicable.

• err.message === "UNEXPECTED_MESSAGE: ..."

  The client transmitted a message that was sequentially invalid.

  • err.clientMessage (string) contains the client message.

transportError

Emitted when the transport violates the requirements set out in the developer documentation.

Arguments passed to the listeners:

1. err (Error) indicates the nature of the violation.

The following errors are possible:

• err.message === "INVALID_RESULT"

  A transport method returned an unexpected value or threw an unexpected error.

• err.message === "UNEXPECTED_EVENT"

  The transport emitted an out-of-sequence event.

• err.message === "BAD_EVENT_ARGUMENT"

  The transport emitted an event with one or more invalid arguments.

Methods

server.state()

Returns the current server state. One of "stopped", "starting", "started", or "stopping".

Errors thrown:

• err.message === "TRANSPORT_ERROR: ..."

  The transport behaved unexpectedly.

server.start()

Initiates an attempt to start the server.

The server state must be stopped and after a sucessful call, the server state becomes starting. If the transport subsequently starts successfully, then the server state becomes started. If the transport fails to start, then the server state becomes stopping and eventually stopped.

Errors thrown:

• err.message === "INVALID_STATE: ..."

  The server state is not stopped.

• err.message === "TRANSPORT_ERROR: ..."

  The transport behaved unexpectedly.

server.stop()

Initiates the process of stopping the server. The server state must be started and after a successful call, the server state becomes stopping.

Errors thrown:

• err.message === "INVALID_STATE: ..."

  The server state is not started.

• err.message === "TRANSPORT_ERROR: ..."

  The transport behaved unexpectedly.

server.actionRevelation(params)

Transmits ActionRevelation messages to clients that have opened the specified feed.

If no client have opened the specified feed then the function returns successfully.

The params (Object) argument contains the following members:

• params.actionName (string) The name of the action being revealed.

• params.actionData (Object) The action data for the action being revealed.

• params.feedName (string) The name of the feed being revealed on.

• params.feedArgs (Object of strings) The arguments for the feed being revealed on.

• params.feedDeltas (Array) An array of spec-compliant delta objects describing any changes to the feed data that resulted from the action. It is up to the application to ensure that deltas are valid given the current state of the feed data.

• params.feedMd5 (optional string) A spec-compliant hash of the feed data with the deltas applied. If this parameter is present, then params.feedData must not be present; if neither parameter is present, then clients will not be sent a hash for feed data integrify verification.

• params.feedData (optional Object) A reference to the feed data with the deltas applied. The library will generate a spec-compliant hash of the feed data and distribute it with the action revelation. If this parameter is present, then params.feedMd5 must not be present; if neither parameter is present, then clients will not be sent a hash for feed data integrity verification.

Errors thrown:

• err.message === "INVALID_ARGUMENT: ..."

  One or more arguments was invalid.

• err.message === "INVALID_STATE: ..."

  The server is not started.

• err.message === "TRANSPORT_ERROR: ..."

  The transport behaved unexpectedly.

server.feedTermination(params)

Forcefully closes one or more client feeds.

There are three usages: (1) terminate a specified feed for a specified client, (2) terminate all feeds for a specified client, and (3) terminate all clients on a specified feed.

Behavior depends on the state of the client feed(s) being terminated:

• When terminating a client feed that is opening (i.e. the library has emitted a feedOpen event referencing the feed but the application has not yet called fores.success() or fores.failure()), then the client is immediately sent a FeedOpenResponse message indicating failure. The error code and data transmitted with the message are determined by the parameters passed to this method. No further action is taken if the application subsequently calls fores.success() or fores.failure() and either call will return successfully.

• When terminating a client feed that is open, then the client is immediately sent a FeedTermination message. The library will open a feed termination window as configured by options.terminationMs.

• When terminating a client feed that is closing (i.e. the library has stopped revealing actions on the client feed and has emitted a feedClose event but the application has not yet called fcres.success()), then the client is immediately sent a FeedCloseResponse message indicating success. No further action is taken if the application subsequently calls fcres.success() and the call will return successfully.

• When terminating a client feed that is already closed, nothing is sent to the client and the method returns successfully.

1. Terminating a specific feed opened by a specific client

The params (Object) argument must contain the following members:

• params.clientId (string) The id of the client whose feed is being terminated.

• params.feedName (string) The name of the feed being terminated.

• params.feedArgs (Object of strings) The arguments for the feed being terminated.

• params.errorCode (string) The error code to return to the client.

• params.errorData (Object) The error data to return to the client.

2. Terminating all feeds for a specified client

The params (Object) argument must contain the following members:

• params.clientId (string) The id of the client whose feeds are being terminated.

• params.errorCode (string) The error code to return to the client.

• params.errorData (Object) The error data to return to the client.

3. Terminating all clients on a specified feed

The params (Object) argument must contain the following members:

• params.feedName (string) The name of the feed whose clients are being terminated.

• params.feedArgs (Object of strings) The arguments for the feed whose clients are being terminated.

• params.errorCode (string) The error code to return to the clients.

• params.errorData (Object) The error data to return to the clients.

Errors thrown (for all three usages):

• err.message === "INVALID_ARGUMENT: ..."

  One or more arguments was invalid.

• err.message === "INVALID_STATE: ..."

  The server is not started.

• err.message === "TRANSPORT_ERROR: ..."

  The transport behaved unexpectedly.

server.disconnect(clientId)

Forcibly disconnects a client transport connection.

The method returns successfully irrespective of the client connection state.

Arguments:

• clientId (string) The id of the client being disconnected.

Errors thrown:

• err.message === "INVALID_ARGUMENT: ..."

  One or more arguments was invalid.

• err.message === "INVALID_STATE: ..."

  The server is not started.

• err.message === "TRANSPORT_ERROR: ..."

  The transport behaved unexpectedly.

Objects

Applications respond to client messages using the following types of objects.

Handshake Objects

When the handshake event is fired, listeners are passed two arguments: a HandshakeRequest object and a HandshakeResponse object.

HandshakeRequest

HandshakeRequest objects (hreq) have the following properties:

• hreq.clientId (string) is the identifier that the library has assigned to the client. The identifier is shared with the client.

HandshakeResponse

HandshakeResponse objects (hres) have the following methods:

• hres.success()

  Returns a HandshakeResponse message to the client indicating success. The server will begin to accept Action, FeedOpen, and FeedClose messages from the client.

  If the client has disconnected or the server has stopped, then the method will do nothing but will return successfully.

  Errors thrown:

  • err.message === "ALREADY_RESPONDED: ..."

    There has already been a call to hres.success().

Action Objects

When the action event is fired, listeners are passed two arguments: an ActionRequest object and an ActionResponse object.

ActionRequest

ActionRequest objects (areq) have the following properties:

• areq.clientId (string) is the identifier that the library assigned to the client.

• areq.actionName (string) is the name of the action being invoked.

• areq.actionArgs (Object) contains arguments for the invocation.

ActionResponse

ActionResponse objects (ares) have the following methods:

• ares.success(actionData)

  Returns an ActionResponse message to the client indicating success.

  If the client has disconnected or the server has stopped, then the method will do nothing but will return successfully.

  Arguments:

  1. actionData (Object) is the action data, which is transmitted to the client.

  Errors thrown:

  • err.message === "INVALID_ARGUMENT: ..."

    One or more of the specified arguments was invalid.

  • err.message === "ALREADY_RESPONDED: ..."

    There has already been a call to ares.success() or ares.failure().

• ares.failure(errorCode, errorData)

  Returns an ActionResponse message to the client indicating failure.

  If the client has disconnected or the server has stopped, then the method will do nothing but will return successfully.

  Arguments:

  1. errorCode (string) describes the failure.

  2. errorData (optional Object) may provide additional details, which are transmitted to the client.

  Errors thrown:

  • err.message === "INVALID_ARGUMENT: ..."

    One or more of the specified arguments was invalid.

  • err.message === "ALREADY_RESPONDED: ..."

    There has already been a call to ares.success() or ares.failure().

FeedOpen Objects

When the feedOpen event is fired, listeners are passed two arguments: a FeedOpenRequest object and a FeedOpenResponse object.

FeedOpenRequest

FeedOpenRequest objects (foreq) have the following properties:

• foreq.clientId (string) is the identifier that the library assigned to the client.

• foreq.feedName (string) is the name of the feed being opened.

• foreq.feedArgs (Object of strings) contains arguments for the feed being opened.

FeedOpenResponse

FeedOpenResponse objects (fores) have the following methods:

• fores.success(feedData)

  Returns a FeedOpenResponse message to the client indicating success.

  If the client has disconnected, the server has stopped, or the feed was terminated using server.feedTermination() after the feedOpen event was emitted, then the method will do nothing but will return successfully.

  Arguments:

  1. feedData (Object) specifies the initial state of the feed data.

  Errors thrown:

  • err.message === "INVALID_ARGUMENT: ..."

    One or more of the specified arguments was invalid.

  • err.message === "ALREADY_RESPONDED: ..."

    There has already been a call to fores.success() or fores.failure().

• fores.failure(errorCode, errorData)

  Returns a FeedOpenResponse message to the client indicating failure.

  If the client has disconnected, the server has stopped, or the feed was terminated using server.feedTermination() after the feedOpen event was emitted, then the method will do nothing but will return successfully.

  Arguments:

  1. errorCode (string) describes the failure.

  2. errorData (optional Object) may provide additional details, which are transmitted to the client.

  Errors thrown:

  • err.message === "INVALID_ARGUMENT: ..."

    One or more of the specified arguments was invalid.

  • err.message === "ALREADY_RESPONDED: ..."

    There has already been a call to fores.success() or fores.failure().

FeedClose Objects

When the feedClose event is fired, listeners are passed two arguments: a FeedCloseRequest object and a FeedCloseResponse object.

FeedCloseRequest

FeedCloseRequest objects (fcreq) have the following properties:

• fcreq.clientId (string) is the identifier that the library assigned to the client.

• fcreq.feedName (string) is the name of the feed being closed.

• fcreq.feedArgs (Object of strings) contains arguments for the feed being closed.

FeedCloseResponse

FeedCloseResponse objects (fcres) have the following methods:

• fcres.success()

  Returns a FeedCloseResponse message to the client indicating success.

  If the client has disconnected or the server has stopped, then the method will do nothing but will return successfully.

  Errors thrown:

  • err.message === "ALREADY_RESPONDED: ..."

    There has already been a call to fcres.success().