- Category
- Developer Tools
- Rank
- No. 1021Tools index
- Pricing
- Open Source
- Type
- TOOL
- Builder
- wevm
- GitHub
- 58 stars
- Latest release
- isows@1.0.7
- Date
About
Isomorphic WebSocket implementation that works in both browser and Node.js environments.
What it does
It gives application code one WebSocket constructor. At startup, it selects a native implementation when available and otherwise uses the ws package.
Why it's ranked here
This is a focused compatibility layer with credible coverage. Its test matrix exercises Node.js, Bun, Deno, Vite, SvelteKit, Next.js, and TypeScript compilation, while its build emits both major JavaScript module formats.
What's good
The implementation stays small and understandable. It checks several common global locations for native support, provides a native-only entry, emits declaration maps, and validates real connections across runtimes and frameworks.
Tradeoffs
Its narrow scope is also its limit. The exposed code selects a WebSocket implementation, but adds no documented reconnection, connection management, messaging protocol, or server API. Repository development also requires Bun.
How to use it well
Use it in shared JavaScript or TypeScript client code that must open sockets across browsers and server runtimes without maintaining separate imports. Pair it with your own retry, heartbeat, protocol, and state-management logic. Choose another package when you need a WebSocket server API.
Technical notes+
src/index.ts resolves getNativeWebSocket() first, then falls back to either WebSocket_.WebSocket or the ws module namespace. src/utils.ts probes WebSocket, global.WebSocket, window.WebSocket, and self.WebSocket, throwing when none exists. src/native.ts exposes only the native resolution path and re-exports a MessageEvent type alias. package.json builds CommonJS into src/_cjs, ES modules into src/_esm, and declarations into src/_types; scripts/prepublishOnly.ts removes the package-level type field before publication. Tests under test/bun, test/deno, test/node, test/vite, test/next, test/sveltekit, and test/tsc cover runtime, framework, and compiler integration.
Observed
- License
- MIT
- Primary language
- TypeScript
- Install surface
- npm package installable with npm, pnpm, or Bun
- Interface
- JavaScript and TypeScript library exporting a WebSocket constructor
- Platform support
- Node.js, Bun, Deno, and modern browsers
- Module packaging
- Builds CommonJS, ES modules, and TypeScript declarations
- Integration coverage
- Test workspaces include Node.js, Bun, Deno, Vite, SvelteKit, Next.js, and TypeScript compilation
Read from README.md, package.json, src/index.ts, src/utils.ts, src/native.ts, scripts/prepublishOnly.ts, test/bun/index.ts, test/tsc/index.ts, test/deno/index.ts, test/node/index.js, test/node/index.mjs, test/vite/src/main.ts, test/next/next-env.d.ts, test/next/next.config.js, test/next/src/app/page.tsx.
What it can do
Establish WebSocket connections in browser environments
WebSocket URL and connection parameters → Active WebSocket connection
Establish WebSocket connections in Node.js environments
WebSocket URL and connection parameters → Active WebSocket connection
Send real-time messages through WebSocket
Message data (text, binary, or JSON) → Transmitted message to WebSocket server
Receive real-time messages from WebSocket server
Incoming WebSocket data stream → Parsed message data
Handle WebSocket connection events
Connection state changes (open, close, error) → Event callbacks and status updates
Provide unified WebSocket API across environments
Same codebase for browser and Node.js → Consistent WebSocket functionality
Tags
Tech Stack
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Editorially curated, with community endorsements as a secondary signal. Corrections welcome.