Naked WebSocket

Fastest WebSockets for node to node data exchange.

Connect your back-end node.js applications with WebSockets and exchange data with any format you wish, JSON, MsgPack, none, etc.

Why not just use socket.io or ws modules?

You should use socket.io or ws for Browser applications and Naked WebSocket for back-end applications. Naked WebSocket is a much faster communication link because it uses the raw net or tls sockets, without Browser regard.

Naked WebSocket allows you to use any data framing (message exchange) you wish, for example JSON, MsgPack, SMP, AMP, none, or any other.

Why not just use plain old net or tls without WebSockets?

Because Naked WebSocket gives you a way to connect remote node.js applications via the WebSocket Protocol, while still using the net or tls sockets, this is the best of both worlds! You get:

• Firewall friendly access.
• Basic Authentication.
• HTTP Headers.
• Aggree on a message exchange format EG: JSON, MsgPack, SMP, AMP, etc.
• Persistent bidirectional remote node communication.
• Full control over the raw net or tls sockets.

...

Complies with WebSocket Protocol version 13 as Sub Protocol: 'nws/' + options.version, (you choose own data framing). This solution is not for Browser clients, but for common nodes using this module for data exchange communication.

Installation

npm install naked-websocket

Example

See examples folder.

Server example

const nws = require('naked-websocket');

// use same options as: https://nodejs.org/api/net.html
var options = {
  protocol: 'ws'
};

var server = nws.createServer(options, function(socket) {
  // can examine: socket.headers
  
  console.log('client connected');

  socket.on('data', function(chunk) {
    console.log(chunk.toString());
  });

  socket.write('hello client via net socket');
});

server.listen(8080, function() {
  console.log('server bound');
});

Client example

const nws = require('naked-websocket');

// use same options as: https://nodejs.org/api/net.html
var options = {
  protocol: 'ws',
  hostname: '127.0.0.1',
  port: 8080,
  path: '/foo/bar/?hello=world'
};

var client = nws.connect(options, function(socket) {
  console.log('connected to server!');

  socket.on('data', function(chunk) {
    console.log(chunk.toString());
  });
  
  if ( socket.body ) {    // if server body was trailing connection header, emit.
    socket.emit('data', socket.body);
  }
  
  socket.write('world!');
});

Secure example

Server

const nws = require('naked-websocket');
const fs = require('fs');

// use same options as: https://nodejs.org/api/tls.html, you need to generate own key.pem and cert.pem.
var options = {
  protocol: 'wss',
  slowHandshake: true,    // so can do own auth.
  key: fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/keys/key.pem'),
  cert: fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/keys/cert.pem'),
  rejectUnauthorized: false,
  requestCert: true
};

var server = nws.createServer(options, function(socket) {
  // examine: socket.headers.authorization
  if ( !socket.headers.authorization ) {
    socket.goodbye(401);
  } else if ( socket.headers.authorization.password === 'password' ) {
    socket.handshake();
  } else {
    socket.goodbye(401);
  }

  console.log('client connected');
  
  socket.on('data', function(chunk) {
    console.log(chunk.toString());
  });
  
  socket.write('hello client via tls socket');
});

server.listen(8443, function() {
  console.log('server bound');
});

Client

const nws = require('naked-websocket');
const fs = require('fs');

// use same options as: https://nodejs.org/api/tls.html, you need to generate key.pem and cert.pem.
var options = {
  protocol: 'wss',
  hostname: '127.0.0.1',
  port: 8443,
  key: fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/keys/key.pem'),
  cert: fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/keys/cert.pem'),
  rejectUnauthorized: false,
  requestCert: true,
  auth: 'username:password'
};

var client = nws.connect(options, function(socket) {
  console.log('connected to server!');
  
  socket.on('data', function(chunk) {
    console.log(chunk.toString());
  });
  
  if ( socket.body ) {    // if server body was trailing connection header, emit.
    socket.emit('data', socket.body);
  }
  
  socket.write('world!');
});

Message framing

Naked WebSocket does not frame messages, it leaves this entirely up to each node. Nodes should deploy their own framing technique, could use JSON, MsgPack, SMP, AMP, or your own.

Messaging using MsgPack (npm install msgpack) Example

const nws = require('naked-websocket');
const msgpack = require('msgpack');    // npm install msgpack

var server = nws.createServer({protocol: 'ws'}, function(socket) {

  var ms = new msgpack.Stream(socket);
  ms.addListener('msg', function(m) {
    console.log('server received message: ', m);
  });

  var payload = {foo : 'bar', num : 101, 'list-of' : [1, 2, 3], buf: new Buffer('hello')};
  var msg = msgpack.pack(payload);
  socket.write(msg);
  
}).listen(8888);


var options = {
  protocol: 'ws',
  hostname: '127.0.0.1',
  port: 8888
};

var client = nws.connect(options, function(socket) {
  
  if ( socket.body ) {    // if server body was trailing connection header, emit.
    socket.emit('data', socket.body);
  }
   
  var ms = new msgpack.Stream(socket);
  ms.addListener('msg', function(m) {
    console.log('client received message: ', m);
  }); 
  
  var payload = {hello: 'from client'};
  var msg = msgpack.pack(payload);
  socket.write(msg);  
  
});

Options

Can use same as: https://nodejs.org/api/net.html (protocol: 'ws') or https://nodejs.org/api/tls.html (protocol: 'wss').

     maxbuffer: 4000,          // max header size, 4000 = 4 KB.
       version: '0.0.1',       // must be same on all peers.
      protocol: 'ws',          // 'wss' = secure (TLS), must be same on all peers.
 slowHandshake: false,         // true: if you wish to manage own auth at app level.
      timedout: 15000,         // how long to wait for connection, 15 seconds.
       noDelay: false          // true = turn nagle batching algorithm off.

Can set own custom headers.

Server example

var server = nws.createServer(options, function(socket) {
  
  socket.handshake({headers: {Framing: 'msgpack', 'X-foo': 'bar'}});
  ...

Client example

var options = {
  protocol: 'ws',
  hostname: '127.0.0.1',
  port: 8443,
  headers: {
    Framing: 'msgpack',
    'X-Hello': 'World'
  } 
};

var client = nws.connect(options, function(socket) {
  ...

License

Choose either: MIT or Apache 2.0.