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Server for PeerJS

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Quick Overview

PeerJS Server is an open-source signaling and network traversal server for WebRTC applications. It facilitates peer-to-peer connections between browsers by providing a simple API for developers to create and manage peer connections, making it easier to build real-time communication applications.

Pros

  • Easy to set up and integrate with PeerJS client library
  • Supports multiple deployment options (self-hosted or cloud-based)
  • Provides a simple API for managing peer connections
  • Handles NAT traversal and signaling complexities

Cons

  • Limited scalability for large-scale applications
  • Lacks advanced features like load balancing or clustering
  • Documentation could be more comprehensive
  • May require additional security measures for production use

Code Examples

  1. Creating a PeerJS server instance:
const { PeerServer } = require('peer');

const peerServer = PeerServer({ port: 9000, path: '/myapp' });

peerServer.on('connection', (client) => {
  console.log(`Client connected: ${client.getId()}`);
});
  1. Configuring SSL for secure connections:
const fs = require('fs');
const { PeerServer } = require('peer');

const peerServer = PeerServer({
  port: 9000,
  ssl: {
    key: fs.readFileSync('/path/to/your/ssl/key.pem'),
    cert: fs.readFileSync('/path/to/your/ssl/cert.pem')
  }
});
  1. Custom authentication middleware:
const { PeerServer } = require('peer');

const peerServer = PeerServer({
  port: 9000,
  path: '/myapp',
  authenticator: (token) => {
    // Implement your custom authentication logic here
    return token === 'valid-token';
  }
});

Getting Started

To get started with PeerJS Server, follow these steps:

  1. Install the package:

    npm install peer
    
  2. Create a simple server:

    const { PeerServer } = require('peer');
    const peerServer = PeerServer({ port: 9000 });
    console.log('PeerJS Server running on port 9000');
    
  3. Run the server:

    node server.js
    
  4. Use the server with PeerJS client:

    const peer = new Peer('your-peer-id', {
      host: 'localhost',
      port: 9000,
      path: '/'
    });
    

Competitor Comparisons

The JavaScript Implementation of libp2p networking stack.

Pros of js-libp2p

  • More comprehensive networking stack with support for various protocols and transports
  • Highly modular and extensible architecture
  • Part of a larger ecosystem (IPFS) with active development and community support

Cons of js-libp2p

  • Steeper learning curve due to its complexity and extensive features
  • Potentially higher overhead for simple peer-to-peer applications
  • May require more configuration and setup compared to peerjs-server

Code Comparison

js-libp2p:

const Libp2p = require('libp2p')
const TCP = require('libp2p-tcp')
const MPLEX = require('libp2p-mplex')
const { NOISE } = require('libp2p-noise')

const node = await Libp2p.create({
  modules: {
    transport: [TCP],
    streamMuxer: [MPLEX],
    connEncryption: [NOISE]
  }
})

peerjs-server:

const { PeerServer } = require('peer')

const peerServer = PeerServer({ port: 9000, path: '/myapp' })

peerServer.on('connection', (client) => {
  console.log('Client connected:', client.getId())
})

The code snippets demonstrate the setup process for each library. js-libp2p requires more configuration but offers greater flexibility, while peerjs-server provides a simpler setup for basic peer-to-peer functionality.

⚡️ Streaming torrent client for the web

Pros of WebTorrent

  • Supports both browser-based and Node.js environments, offering greater flexibility
  • Implements the BitTorrent protocol, allowing for efficient peer-to-peer file sharing
  • Has a larger community and more active development

Cons of WebTorrent

  • More complex to set up and use compared to PeerJS Server
  • Primarily focused on file sharing, which may be overkill for simple peer-to-peer communication
  • Requires more resources due to its comprehensive feature set

Code Comparison

WebTorrent (client-side usage):

const WebTorrent = require('webtorrent')
const client = new WebTorrent()

client.seed('path/to/file', (torrent) => {
  console.log('Client is seeding:', torrent.infoHash)
})

PeerJS Server (server-side setup):

const { PeerServer } = require('peer')

const peerServer = PeerServer({ port: 9000, path: '/myapp' })

peerServer.on('connection', (client) => {
  console.log('Client connected:', client.id)
})

Both projects facilitate peer-to-peer communication, but WebTorrent is more focused on file sharing and implements the BitTorrent protocol. PeerJS Server, on the other hand, provides a simpler solution for general peer-to-peer connections. WebTorrent offers more features and flexibility, while PeerJS Server is easier to set up and use for basic peer-to-peer communication needs.

📡 Simple WebRTC video, voice, and data channels

Pros of simple-peer

  • Lightweight and focused on WebRTC peer-to-peer connections
  • Supports both browser and Node.js environments
  • Simpler API with fewer dependencies

Cons of simple-peer

  • Lacks built-in signaling server functionality
  • May require more manual setup for complex peer-to-peer scenarios
  • Less abstraction for handling multiple peers

Code Comparison

simple-peer:

const Peer = require('simple-peer')

const peer = new Peer({ initiator: true })

peer.on('signal', data => {
  // Send signaling data to the other peer
})

peerjs-server:

const { PeerServer } = require('peer')

const peerServer = PeerServer({ port: 9000, path: '/myapp' })

peerServer.on('connection', (client) => {
  console.log('Client connected:', client.getId())
})

The code snippets demonstrate the different focus of each library. simple-peer is centered around creating individual peer connections, while peerjs-server provides a complete signaling server setup for managing multiple peers.

simple-peer offers a more low-level approach, giving developers greater control over the WebRTC connection process. In contrast, peerjs-server abstracts away much of the complexity, providing a higher-level API for managing peer connections through a centralized server.

Choosing between the two depends on the specific requirements of your project. simple-peer is ideal for developers who need fine-grained control over peer-to-peer connections, while peerjs-server is better suited for applications requiring a more managed approach to peer discovery and signaling.

7,432

IPFS implementation in JavaScript

Pros of js-ipfs

  • Decentralized and distributed architecture, offering better scalability and resilience
  • Built-in content addressing and versioning, providing data integrity and efficient content distribution
  • Supports a wide range of use cases beyond peer-to-peer communication, including file storage and sharing

Cons of js-ipfs

  • Higher complexity and steeper learning curve compared to simpler peer-to-peer solutions
  • Potentially slower initial connection times due to the distributed nature of the network
  • Requires more resources and may have higher overhead for simple peer-to-peer applications

Code Comparison

js-ipfs:

import { create } from 'ipfs-core'

const ipfs = await create()
const { cid } = await ipfs.add('Hello, IPFS!')
console.log(cid.toString())

peerjs-server:

const { PeerServer } = require('peer')

const peerServer = PeerServer({ port: 9000, path: '/myapp' })
peerServer.on('connection', (client) => {
  console.log(`Client connected: ${client.getId()}`)
})

The js-ipfs code demonstrates adding content to the IPFS network, while the peerjs-server code shows setting up a simple peer-to-peer server. js-ipfs offers a more comprehensive set of features for distributed systems, whereas peerjs-server focuses on straightforward peer-to-peer connections.

11,072

coturn TURN server project

Pros of coturn

  • More comprehensive TURN/STUN server implementation with support for various protocols (TURN, STUN, ICE, DTLS)
  • Highly scalable and performant, suitable for large-scale deployments
  • Actively maintained with regular updates and security patches

Cons of coturn

  • More complex setup and configuration compared to peerjs-server
  • Requires more system resources and technical expertise to manage
  • Not specifically designed for PeerJS, may require additional integration work

Code comparison

coturn configuration example:

listening-port=3478
external-ip=203.0.113.5
user=myuser:mypassword
realm=example.com

peerjs-server startup example:

const { PeerServer } = require('peer');
const peerServer = PeerServer({ port: 9000, path: '/myapp' });

Summary

coturn is a more robust and feature-rich TURN/STUN server solution, while peerjs-server is a simpler, purpose-built option for PeerJS applications. coturn offers greater scalability and protocol support but requires more setup and maintenance. peerjs-server is easier to deploy and integrate with PeerJS projects but may have limitations for large-scale or complex WebRTC scenarios.

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README

Build Status node David npm version Downloads Docker Image Size (latest semver)

PeerServer: A server for PeerJS

PeerServer helps establishing connections between PeerJS clients. Data is not proxied through the server.

Run your own server on Gitpod!

Open in Gitpod

https://peerjs.com

Usage

Run server

Natively

If you don't want to develop anything, just enter few commands below.

  1. Install the package globally:

    $ npm install peer -g
    
  2. Run the server:

    $ peerjs --port 9000 --key peerjs --path /myapp
    
      Started PeerServer on ::, port: 9000, path: /myapp (v. 0.3.2)
    
  3. Check it: http://127.0.0.1:9000/myapp It should returns JSON with name, description and website fields.

Docker

Also, you can use Docker image to run a new container:

$ docker run -p 9000:9000 -d peerjs/peerjs-server
Kubernetes
$ kubectl run peerjs-server --image=peerjs/peerjs-server --port 9000 --expose -- --port 9000 --path /myapp

Create a custom server:

If you have your own server, you can attach PeerServer.

  1. Install the package:

    # $ cd your-project-path
    
    # with npm
    $ npm install peer
    
    # with yarn
    $ yarn add peer
    
  2. Use PeerServer object to create a new server:

    const { PeerServer } = require("peer");
    
    const peerServer = PeerServer({ port: 9000, path: "/myapp" });
    
  3. Check it: http://127.0.0.1:9000/myapp It should returns JSON with name, description and website fields.

Connecting to the server from client PeerJS:

<script>
	const peer = new Peer("someid", {
		host: "localhost",
		port: 9000,
		path: "/myapp",
	});
</script>

Config / CLI options

You can provide config object to PeerServer function or specify options for peerjs CLI.

CLI optionJS optionDescriptionRequiredDefault
--port, -pportPort to listen (number)Yes
--key, -kkeyConnection key (string). Client must provide it to call API methodsNo"peerjs"
--pathpathPath (string). The server responds for requests to the root URL + path. E.g. Set the path to /myapp and run server on 9000 port via peerjs --port 9000 --path /myapp Then open http://127.0.0.1:9000/myapp - you should see a JSON reponse.No"/"
--proxiedproxiedSet true if PeerServer stays behind a reverse proxy (boolean)Nofalse
--expire_timeout, -texpire_timeoutThe amount of time after which a message sent will expire, the sender will then receive a EXPIRE message (milliseconds).No5000
--alive_timeoutalive_timeoutTimeout for broken connection (milliseconds). If the server doesn't receive any data from client (includes pong messages), the client's connection will be destroyed.No60000
--concurrent_limit, -cconcurrent_limitMaximum number of clients' connections to WebSocket server (number)No5000
--sslkeysslkeyPath to SSL key (string)No
--sslcertsslcertPath to SSL certificate (string)No
--allow_discoveryallow_discoveryAllow to use GET /peers http API method to get an array of ids of all connected clients (boolean)No
--corscorsOptionsThe CORS origins that can access this server
generateClientIdA function which generate random client IDs when calling /id API method (() => string)Nouuid/v4

Using HTTPS

Simply pass in PEM-encoded certificate and key.

const fs = require("fs");
const { PeerServer } = require("peer");

const peerServer = PeerServer({
	port: 9000,
	ssl: {
		key: fs.readFileSync("/path/to/your/ssl/key/here.key"),
		cert: fs.readFileSync("/path/to/your/ssl/certificate/here.crt"),
	},
});

You can also pass any other SSL options accepted by https.createServer, such as `SNICallback:

const fs = require("fs");
const { PeerServer } = require("peer");

const peerServer = PeerServer({
	port: 9000,
	ssl: {
		SNICallback: (servername, cb) => {
			// your code here ....
		},
	},
});

Running PeerServer behind a reverse proxy

Make sure to set the proxied option, otherwise IP based limiting will fail. The option is passed verbatim to the expressjs trust proxy setting if it is truthy.

const { PeerServer } = require("peer");

const peerServer = PeerServer({
	port: 9000,
	path: "/myapp",
	proxied: true,
});

Custom client ID generation

By default, PeerServer uses uuid/v4 npm package to generate random client IDs.

You can set generateClientId option in config to specify a custom function to generate client IDs.

const { PeerServer } = require("peer");

const customGenerationFunction = () =>
	(Math.random().toString(36) + "0000000000000000000").substr(2, 16);

const peerServer = PeerServer({
	port: 9000,
	path: "/myapp",
	generateClientId: customGenerationFunction,
});

Open http://127.0.0.1:9000/myapp/peerjs/id to see a new random id.

Combining with existing express app

const express = require("express");
const { ExpressPeerServer } = require("peer");

const app = express();

app.get("/", (req, res, next) => res.send("Hello world!"));

// =======

const server = app.listen(9000);

const peerServer = ExpressPeerServer(server, {
	path: "/myapp",
});

app.use("/peerjs", peerServer);

// == OR ==

const http = require("http");

const server = http.createServer(app);
const peerServer = ExpressPeerServer(server, {
	debug: true,
	path: "/myapp",
});

app.use("/peerjs", peerServer);

server.listen(9000);

// ========

Open the browser and check http://127.0.0.1:9000/peerjs/myapp

Events

The 'connection' event is emitted when a peer connects to the server.

peerServer.on('connection', (client) => { ... });

The 'disconnect' event is emitted when a peer disconnects from the server or when the peer can no longer be reached.

peerServer.on('disconnect', (client) => { ... });

HTTP API

Read /src/api/README.md

Running tests

$ npm test

Docker

We have 'ready to use' images on docker hub: https://hub.docker.com/r/peerjs/peerjs-server

To run the latest image:

$ docker run -p 9000:9000 -d peerjs/peerjs-server

You can build a new image simply by calling:

$ docker build -t myimage https://github.com/peers/peerjs-server.git

To run the image execute this:

$ docker run -p 9000:9000 -d myimage

This will start a peerjs server on port 9000 exposed on port 9000 with key peerjs on path /myapp.

Open your browser with http://localhost:9000/myapp It should returns JSON with name, description and website fields. http://localhost:9000/myapp/peerjs/id - should returns a random string (random client id)

Running in Google App Engine

Google App Engine will create an HTTPS certificate for you automatically, making this by far the easiest way to deploy PeerJS in the Google Cloud Platform.

  1. Create a package.json file for GAE to read:
echo "{}" > package.json
npm install express@latest peer@latest
  1. Create an app.yaml file to configure the GAE application.
runtime: nodejs

# Flex environment required for WebSocket support, which is required for PeerJS.
env: flex

# Limit resources to one instance, one CPU, very little memory or disk.
manual_scaling:
  instances: 1
resources:
  cpu: 1
  memory_gb: 0.5
  disk_size_gb: 0.5
  1. Create server.js (which node will run by default for the start script):
const express = require("express");
const { ExpressPeerServer } = require("peer");
const app = express();

app.enable("trust proxy");

const PORT = process.env.PORT || 9000;
const server = app.listen(PORT, () => {
	console.log(`App listening on port ${PORT}`);
	console.log("Press Ctrl+C to quit.");
});

const peerServer = ExpressPeerServer(server, {
	path: "/",
});

app.use("/", peerServer);

module.exports = app;
  1. Deploy to an existing GAE project (assuming you are already logged in via gcloud), replacing YOUR-PROJECT-ID-HERE with your particular project ID:
gcloud app deploy --project=YOUR-PROJECT-ID-HERE --promote --quiet app.yaml

Privacy

See PRIVACY.md

Problems?

Discuss PeerJS on our Discord community: https://discord.gg/Ud2PvAtK37

Please post any bugs as a Github issue.

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