Usage

Installation

npm i figma-messenger
# or using Yarn
yarn add figma-messenger

Quick usage example

// Shared code between main thread and iframe
// shared.ts
interface IframeToMain {
  setVersion(name: string, value: number): void
}

interface MainToIframe {
  heyIframe(data: any): void
}

// main.ts
import { createMainThreadMessenger } from 'figma-messenger'

const mainMessenger = createMainThreadMessenger<MainToIframe, IframeToMain>()

// All good
mainMessenger.send('heyIframe', { any: 'data'})

// Error. Argument of type "unknownMessage" is not assignable to parameter of type "heyIframe".
mainMessenger.send('unknownMessage')
// Error. Expected 2 arguments, but got 1.
mainMessenger.send('heyIframe')

mainMessenger.on('setVersion', (name, value) => {
  console.log('setVersion', name, value)
})

// Remove all listeners
mainMessenger.off('setVersion')

// iframe.ts
import { createIframeMessenger, createMainThreadMessenger } from 'figma-messenger'

const iframeMessenger = createIframeMessenger<IframeToMain, MainToIframe>()

// All good
iframeMessenger.send('setVersion', 'initial', 1)

// Error. Expected 3 arguments, but got 2.
iframeMessenger.send('setVersion', 'initial')

iframeMessenger.on('heyIframe', sel => console.log(sel))

// Remove all listeners
iframeMessenger.off('heyIframe')

See more comprehensive live figma plugin example at examples/figma-plugin.
Files shared/types.ts, app.tsx and main/index.ts

Api

createIframeMessenger<MessagesToSend, MessagesToListen>(name?: string) / createMainThreadMessenger<MessagesToSend, MessagesToListen>(name?: string)

Creates a messenger instance for Iframe and Main Thread sides respectively.
Optional name argument. If not set, messenger will be global. Otherwise only will receive events from the messenger with the same name.
Also, takes 2 type arguments:
MessagesToSend – messages to send signature
MessagesToListen – messages to receive signature

Example:

// Messages sent from Iframe side, received on Main Thread side
interface IframeToMain {
  setVersion(name: string, value: number): void
}

// Messages sent from Main Thread side, received on Iframe side
interface MainToIframe {
  heyIframe(data: any): void
}

/**
 * somewhere in iframe code: 
 */

// global messenger
const iframeMessenger = createIframeMessenger<IframeToMain, MainToIframe>()
// named messenger. Will communicate only to messenger with the same name on main thread.
const namedIframeMessenger = createIframeMessenger<IframeToMain, MainToIframe>('SPECIAL')


/**
 * somewhere in main thread code:
 */

// global messenger
const mainThreadMessenger = createMainThreadMessenger<MainToIframe, IframeToMain>()

// named messenger. Will communicate only to messenger 'SPECIAL' on iframe side.
const namedMainThreadMessenger = createMainThreadMessenger<IframeToMain, MainToIframe>('SPECIAL')

Single global listener under the hood makes it possible to create multiple instances, which won't conflict, but would handle messages with same name.

const m1 = createIframeMessenger()
const m2 = createIframeMessenger()
const m3 = createIframeMessenger('SPECIAL')


// When fired globally, "msg" message would be received by m1 and m2, but not by m3.
m1.on('msg', callback1) // receives global message
m2.on('msg', callback2) // receives global message

m3.on('msg', callback3) // only will receive from messenger named 'SPECIAL' on main thread side

.on(message: string, listener: (...arg: any[]) => void): void

Add listener for the message from opposite side.
Callbacks can take no or multiple arguments.

messenger.on('aMessage', handleMessage)
messenger.on('someMessage', (data) => doSomething(data))
messenger.on('otherMessage', (arg1, arg2) => hello(arg1, arg2))
messenger.on('noArgsMessage', () => world())

.off(message: string, , listener: (...arg: any[]) => void): void

Remove one or all listeners for the message.

// remove particular listener
messenger.off('aMessage', handleMessage)

// remove all listeners
messenger.on('someMessage')

.send(message: string, ...data?: any[]): void

Send a message to an opposite side.

// send message with one data item
messenger.on('someMessage', data)
// with multiple data items
messenger.on('otherMessage', arg1, arg2)
// or no data at all
messenger.send('noArgsMessage')

License

MIT