expressing

This node.js library seeks to combine express and socket.io into one cohesive library. This project started as a fork of express.io.

Attention!

I've started this project recently - so I may make breaking changes between releases, please check the README for each release for the latest documentation.

Getting started

First install:

npm install express.oi

Then, simply replace this line of code

require('express')

with this line of code

require('express.oi')

Your app should run just the same as before! express.oi is designed to be a superset of express and socket.io.

Usage

Setting up the app

var express = require('express.oi');

var app = express();

// Pass in your express-session configuration
app.io.session({
  secret: 'express.oi makes me happy'
});

app.http().io();

app.listen(3000);

express.oi routes

var messages = [];

app.io.route('messages', {
  // socket.io event: messages:list
  list: function(req, res) {
    res.json(messages);
  },

  // socket.io event: messages:add
  add: function(req, res) {
    // data is accessible from req.data (just like req.body, req.query)
    var data = req.data;

    // Or use req.param(key)
    var message = {
      text: req.param('text')
    };

    messages.push(message);

    res.status(200).json(message);
  },

  // socket.io event: messages:remove
  remove: function(req, res) {
    // Or just send a status code
    res.sendStatus(403);
  }
});

Forwarding express routes

Regular express routes can be forwarded to express.oi routes

app.route('/messages')
  .get(function(req, res) {
    // Forward GET /messages to messages:list
    req.io.route('messages:list');
  })
  .post(function(req, res) {
    // Forward POST /messages to messages:add
    req.io.route('messages:add');
  })
  .delete(function(req, res) {
    // Forward DELETE /messages to messages:add
    req.io.route('messages:remove');
  });

More API Examples

// express.oi routes
app.io.route('examples', {
  example: function(req, res) {

    // Respond to current request
    res.status(200)
       .json({
         message: 'This is my response'
       });

    // You can check if current request is a websocket
    if (!req.isSocket) {
      return;
    }

    // Emit event to current socket
    req.socket.emit('message', 'this is a test');

    // Emit event to all clients except sender
    req.socket.broadcast.emit('message', 'this is a test');

    // sending to all clients in 'game' room(channel) except sender
    req.socket.broadcast.to('game').emit('message', 'nice game');

    // sending to individual socketid, socketid is like a room
    req.socket.broadcast.to(socketId).emit('message', 'for your eyes only');


    // sending to all clients, including sender
    app.io.emit('message', 'this is a test');

    // sending to all clients in 'game' room/channel, including sender
    app.io.in('game').emit('message', 'cool game');
  }
});