Laravel realtime chat

This project was created to verify if:

• Websocket can be used in a regular Laravel app
• Socket.io (Node) can be used as a replacement for Pusher
• Laravel Broadcasting documentation can be used as is
• Check if websocket communication is compatible with the current authentication setup

Project dependencies

• Laravel 10.x (php 8.1)

• composer: pusher/pusher-php-server

• npm: laravel-echo

• npm: pusher-js

• composer: laravel/sail (optional) configure a ready-to-go environment

Install

# add sail as shell command

alias sail='sh $([ -f sail ] && echo sail || echo vendor/bin/sail)'

composer install

sail up -d

sail npm install

Usage

1. sail npm run build -> build client resources (where messages/notifications are received)
2. Open your browser on http://localhost
3. sail artisan chat:public-message -> send public messages to any subscribed client

Server configuration

• nginx

Links

• Stackoverflow: laravel + authenticated pusher client

Credits

https://medium.com/@lfoster49203/building-real-time-applications-with-laravel-and-websockets-1f0e4465ef3a