Add SockJS client support [SPR-10797]

[spring-projects-issues]

Gunnar Hillert opened SPR-10797 and commented

As we have server-side support for SockJS [1] It would be nice to also support clients establishing a SockJS connection e.g.:

• For Java-based clients establishing a connection over the web.
• Maybe also for Server-to-Server communication behind the firewall

[1] https://github.com/sockjs/sockjs-client

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Affects: 4.0 M2

Sub-tasks:

• Add documentation for Java SockJS client [SPR-12006] #16622 Add documentation for Java SockJS client

Issue Links:

• STOMP client support [SPR-11588] #16212 STOMP client support

4 votes, 8 watchers

[spring-projects-issues]

Rossen Stoyanchev commented

SockJS was created with browsers in mind, from its description:

SockJS gives you a coherent, cross-browser, Javascript API which creates a low latency, full duplex, cross-domain communication channel between the browser and the web server.

Java clients don't have the issue that browsers havfe with not supporting WebSocket yet and SockJS does allow "raw" WebSocket connections (with no SockJS framing) by connecting to "/{sockjs-prefix}/websocket". There can be network issues still so potentially a much simpler Java WebSocket client with a single fallback options (HTTP long polling) could make sense.

I'll leave this open for further requests, comments, and votes.

[spring-projects-issues]

Tomas Klubal commented

It would be nice to have SockJS java client at least for Java integration tests that are written by java backend developers. That way at least browser issues can be ruled out.

[spring-projects-issues]

Sean Gilligan commented

I'm planning an Android client for a Spring 4 SockJS server and want to use WebSocket for server-push. I'm looking for client library with a transparent fallback option when an HTTP Proxy server is not allowing the WebSocket Upgrade. (It would also be nice to see the STOMP layer included) So a library that implements WebSockets and has a transparent fallback to long polling would be very useful.

I haven't found a library that implements this yet (just started looking) Obviously the library doesn't have to part of Spring, but it seems like a logical fit for Spring for Android.

It would also be nice, as Tomas Klubal suggests above, to have a Java client for integration tests.

At the very least the Spring documentation should provide a link to compatible client options (provided there are any.)

[spring-projects-issues]

Rossen Stoyanchev commented

Thanks for the comments.

[spring-projects-issues]

Sean Gilligan commented

This looks like the best Open Source starting point for iOS support I could find: https://github.com/nmaletm/objc-stomp

[spring-projects-issues]

Sean Gilligan commented

I've started work on an iOS client using the GitHub project mentioned above. It's for a customer, but there's a chance I may be able to Open Source the work. (iOS is more important than Android to my customer.) I have the basics working, but need to implement the SockJS fallback for the case of HTTP access.

I'm @msgilligan on GitHub and Twitter if you want to find me.

[spring-projects-issues]

Alex commented

More than sockjs, I find that websocket client support would be really useful for server to server communication.

[spring-projects-issues]

Sean Gilligan commented

I've been using some code from Rossen's Portfolio sample to create a simple Java STOMP client for integration and functional testing. I am thinking of publishing a standalone JAR and Github project using it. Is there any interest in this work? I'm a duplicating anything else that's being done?