# Realtime: complete application

> Documentation for Redweb 0.14.0. Install that exact version when following these examples.

## Realtime starter

`CounterPage` owns its state on the server. `shared: true` deliberately shares the counter between visitors.
The browser button invokes only the decorated `increment` action; it does not supply the new count.
Open two tabs to check the broadcast. State is in memory and resets when the server restarts.

`{this.count}` updates automatically because the page reads decorated state during rendering; no wrapper element is required.
No repeated binding name or browser-side state is needed. State changes are assignment-driven; render methods must not modify state.


## Setup and acceptance

```sh
npx --yes redweb@0.14.0 init my-realtime --template realtime
cd my-realtime
npm install --save-exact redweb@0.14.0
npm test
npm run dev
```


Requirements: Node.js 18 or newer and npm for the realtime, chat, site, socket and http-ws templates; the dashboard template requires Node.js 22.13+ for native SQLite. Use a currently supported Node.js release in production.

For an unreleased checkout or tarball, first run `npm install --save-exact TARBALL`, replacing `TARBALL` with the absolute path to the same tested Redweb tarball used to generate this app (quote paths containing spaces). This installs the matching package and its published client dependency. Do not substitute an older registry release or `latest`. Published Redweb releases can use the installation command below directly.

```sh
npm install
npm test
npm run dev
```

HTTP starters open at http://localhost:8181; the authenticated dashboard uses http://127.0.0.1:8181/login and requires account provisioning described below. Set the `PORT` environment variable to change the listener.
`npm test` builds and runs real HTTP/WebSocket integration tests on an ephemeral loopback port. No mocks or external service are needed.
`npm run test:coverage` runs the same tests with application coverage mapped back to TypeScript. Reports are written to the ignored `coverage/` directory; this is separate from Redweb library coverage. TypeScript-generated decorator accessors can appear in function counts even when the framework does not call them. The report exposes remaining gaps; it does not certify complete application coverage. Source maps are generated during the build for diagnostics and coverage, but no coverage collector is loaded by `npm start`.

## Development and production

Edit `src/app.tsx`. `npm run dev` watches TypeScript, TSX, CSS, HTML, and the root TypeScript configuration,
then rebuilds and restarts the server. A type error stops startup until you fix it. On direct localhost access,
HTML pages refresh automatically when a new server revision is ready. If edits were detected, a keyboard-accessible
notice keeps the old document until you choose **Reload and discard drafts**. This is a conservative edit guard,
not autosave or browser hot-module replacement: restarts reset in-memory state and old socket sessions.
The generated development command sets `REDWEB_DEV_REFRESH=1`; `development: { refresh: false }` overrides it.
The refresh feature is refused under `NODE_ENV=production`, applies only to served HTML (not raw sockets or static exports),
and creates no local/session-storage copy of form contents. Use direct `localhost`, `127.x.x.x`, or `[::1]` access;
custom hostnames, tunnels and proxy-forwarded origins are not supported by this development helper.
`npm run build` checks types and copies CSS/HTML beside the compiled classes in `dist/`.
Run `npm start` to serve the compiled app. For deployment, build first, ship `dist/`, `package.json`, and the lockfile,
then install runtime dependencies with `npm ci --omit=dev`. The application does not require TypeScript or `src/` at runtime.

The standalone entrypoint calls `app.run()` on a `defineApp` definition. Importing it opens no listener and installs no process handlers. Redweb owns HTTP and WebSocket startup together, including signal handling and bounded shutdown; no generated `run-app.ts` helper is needed. Configure `startupTimeoutMs` and `shutdownTimeoutMs` on the definition (both default to five seconds). App-wide service classes acquire resources in `onInit(app, signal)` and release them in `onShutdown()`; the dashboard uses this for its auth/database resources. The dashboard's factory configures an independent private workspace but does not start it.

Repeated signals do not bypass cleanup. Failed process-owned cleanup sets a failure exit status and retains a deadline for surviving handles. Explicit `shutdown()` rejects on cleanup failures without terminating its caller. Deadlines cannot preempt synchronous code blocking Node's event loop or arbitrary operations that ignore cancellation. Tests can define an independent application from `{ ...app.options, port: 0, signals: false }` and await `run()`; app-owned state is isolated, but objects deliberately captured by page class closures remain shared unless a new class/room is created.

The shipped lifecycle tests exercise actual processes, HTTP/TCP/WebSocket peers and timers. Linux uses actual OS signals; Windows tests explicitly emit signal events inside the process because killing a Windows child does not exercise graceful POSIX signal delivery. This is not a claim that Windows console/service managers forward the same signals. Deploy with a supervisor that forwards the supported termination signal and allows longer than the configured cleanup deadline.

For public deployment, configure HTTPS/WSS at your Node server or reverse proxy, authentication, trusted origins,
and application-specific rate limits. These starters are demonstrations, not a hosted identity or database service.
Never commit secrets; `.env` is ignored but is not loaded automatically.

`npx --no-install redweb doctor --json` reports configuration problems without changing your files.


## Exact generated files

These files come from the initializer itself. The tests below run real listeners; they are not illustrative pseudocode. The generated manifest uses the package metadata version; the installation step above pins the matching artifact or release.

### package.json

```json
{
  "name": "redweb-app",
  "private": true,
  "version": "0.0.0",
  "scripts": {
    "build": "tsc && node scripts/copy-assets.cjs",
    "start": "node dist/app.js",
    "dev": "nodemon",
    "test": "npm run build && node --test test/app.test.cjs test/lifecycle.test.cjs",
    "test:coverage": "npm run build && c8 --all --src=dist --include=dist/** --reporter=text --reporter=json node --test test/app.test.cjs test/lifecycle.test.cjs"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "redweb": "^0.14.0"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "typescript": "^5.9.3",
    "nodemon": "^3.1.11",
    "ws": "^8.21.3",
    "c8": "^10.1.3"
  },
  "nodemonConfig": {
    "env": {
      "REDWEB_DEV_REFRESH": "1"
    },
    "watch": [
      "src",
      "tsconfig.json"
    ],
    "ext": "ts,tsx,css,html,json",
    "exec": "npm run build && npm start || exit 1",
    "delay": 200
  }
}
```

### tsconfig.json

```json
{
  "extends": "redweb/tsconfig.json",
  "compilerOptions": {
    "rootDir": "src",
    "outDir": "dist",
    "sourceMap": true
  },
  "include": [
    "src/**/*.ts",
    "src/**/*.tsx"
  ]
}
```

### src/app.tsx

```tsx
import { action, defineApp, page, state } from 'redweb';

@page('/', { css: 'app.css', shared: true })
export class CounterPage {
    @state() count = 0;

    @action()
    increment() { this.count += 1; }

    render() {
        return (
            <main class="home">
                <h1>A counter owned by the server</h1>
                <p>Open this page in two tabs. Either button updates both.</p>
                <button rw-click="increment">
                    Count {this.count}
                </button>
            </main>
        );
    }
}

export const app = defineApp({ pages: [CounterPage], port: Number(process.env.PORT ?? 8181), templateRoot: __dirname });

if (require.main === module) void app.run().catch(error => { console.error(error); process.exitCode = 1; });
```

### src/app.css

```css
:root { color-scheme: dark; font-family: system-ui, sans-serif; background: #08090d; color: #fff; }
body { margin: 0; }
.home { width: min(42rem, calc(100% - 2rem)); margin: 18vh auto 0; }
h1 { font-size: clamp(2rem, 6vw, 4rem); line-height: 1.1; }
p { color: #bfc1ca; line-height: 1.6; }
button { padding: .8rem 1.2rem; background: #ff5064; color: #08090d; border: 0; border-radius: .5rem; cursor: pointer; font: inherit; }
button:focus-visible, a:focus-visible { outline: 3px solid #fff; outline-offset: 4px; }
nav { padding: 1rem; } a { color: #ff8795; }
```

### scripts/copy-assets.cjs

```js
const fs = require('node:fs');
const path = require('node:path');

// Keep runtime assets beside the compiled classes. Production needs only dist/ and dependencies.
fs.cpSync('src', 'dist', {
    recursive: true,
    filter: file => fs.statSync(file).isDirectory() || ['.css', '.html'].includes(path.extname(file)),
});
```

### test/network.cjs

```js
const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
const { once } = require('node:events');
const WebSocket = require('ws');
const { defineApp } = require('redweb');
const { app: definition } = require('../dist/app.js');

function createApp(options = {}) {
    return defineApp({ ...definition.options, port: 0, bind: '127.0.0.1', logger: null, signals: false, ...options });
}

async function listen(t, options) {
    const app = createApp(options);
    t.after(() => app.shutdown());
    await app.run();
    return `http://127.0.0.1:${app.server.address().port}`;
}

async function connect(t, url, origin, headers = {}) {
    const socket = new WebSocket(url, { headers: { ...headers, Origin: origin } });
    const messages = [];
    socket.on('message', raw => messages.push(JSON.parse(raw.toString())));
    t.after(async () => {
        if (socket.readyState === WebSocket.CLOSED) return;
        const closed = once(socket, 'close');
        // Cleanup must not depend on a peer completing the closing handshake.
        // Tests of graceful disconnect explicitly close and await their sockets.
        socket.terminate();
        await closed;
    });
    await once(socket, 'open');
    return {
        socket,
        send: message => socket.send(JSON.stringify(message)),
        async receive(predicate) {
            const deadline = Date.now() + 3000;
            while (Date.now() < deadline) {
                const index = messages.findIndex(predicate);
                if (index !== -1) return messages.splice(index, 1)[0];
                await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 10));
            }
            assert.fail(`Timed out waiting for a socket message; received ${JSON.stringify(messages)}`);
        },
    };
}

async function live(t, origin, headers = {}) {
    const response = await fetch(origin, { headers });
    assert.equal(response.status, 200);
    const document = await response.text();
    const config = JSON.parse(document.match(/id="__redweb_page">([^<]+)</)[1]);
    const connection = await connect(t, `${origin.replace('http:', 'ws:')}${config.socketPath}?pageId=${config.pageId}&redwebVersion=${encodeURIComponent(config.version)}`, origin, headers);
    return {
        ...connection,
        document, config,
        patch: predicate => connection.receive(message => message.type === 'redweb:patch' && message.payload.patches.some(predicate)),
        action: (name, args = [], component) => connection.send({
            v: config.version, type: 'redweb:html', payload: { kind: 'action', name, args, component },
        }),
        state: (name, value, component) => connection.receive(message => message.type === 'redweb:state' &&
            message.payload.name === name && message.payload.component === component && value(message.payload.value)),
    };
}

module.exports = { createApp, listen, connect, live };
```

### test/app.test.cjs

```js
const test = require('node:test');
const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
const { listen, live } = require('./network.cjs');

test('one server action updates both visitors', { timeout: 10000 }, async t => {
    const origin = await listen(t);
    const first = await live(t, origin);
    const second = await live(t, origin);
    await first.patch(patch => patch.html.includes('Count 0'));
    await second.patch(patch => patch.html.includes('Count 0'));
    first.action('increment');
    await first.patch(patch => patch.html.includes('Count 1'));
    await second.patch(patch => patch.html.includes('Count 1'));
    assert.match(await (await fetch(origin)).text(), /Count 1/);
});
```

### test/lifecycle.test.cjs

```js
const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
const { test } = require('node:test');
const { spawn } = require('node:child_process');
const { once } = require('node:events');

function execute(t, args, env = process.env) {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
        const child = spawn(process.execPath, args, { env, windowsHide: true });
        let stdout = '', stderr = '', finished = false;
        const closed = new Promise(resolve => child.once('close', () => { finished = true; resolve(); }));
        const deadline = setTimeout(() => { child.kill('SIGKILL'); reject(new Error('Entrypoint did not exit')); }, 5000);
        t.after(async () => {
            clearTimeout(deadline);
            if (!finished) { child.kill('SIGKILL'); await closed; }
        });
        child.stdout.on('data', data => { stdout += data; });
        child.stderr.on('data', data => { stderr += data; });
        child.once('error', reject);
        child.once('close', (code, signal) => { clearTimeout(deadline); resolve({ code, signal, stdout, stderr }); });
    });
}

// Each generated app is tested in a real process. Framework deadline/failure
// coverage lives with Application itself, not in six copied startup helpers.
for (const mode of ['SIGINT', 'SIGTERM', 'native-close']) {
    test(`import is inert; application owns ${mode} cleanup`, { timeout: 7000 }, async t => {
        const result = await execute(t, ['-e', String.raw`
            const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
            const { once } = require('node:events');
            const { defineApp } = require('redweb');
            const initial = ['SIGINT', 'SIGTERM'].map(signal => process.listenerCount(signal));
            const source = require('./dist/app');
            assert.deepEqual(['SIGINT', 'SIGTERM'].map(signal => process.listenerCount(signal)), initial);
            const app = source.app
                ? defineApp({ ...source.app.options, port: 0, bind: '127.0.0.1', logger: null })
                : source.createApp({ port: 0, database: ':memory:' });
            assert.equal(app.server, null);
            (async () => {
                const running = await app.run();
                const response = await fetch('http://127.0.0.1:' + running.server.address().port, { headers: { Connection: 'close' } });
                assert.ok(response.status < 500);
                await response.arrayBuffer();
                const closed = once(running.server, 'close');
                if (process.argv[1] === 'native-close') {
                    running.server.close();
                } else {
                    // Windows kill does not deliver a graceful POSIX signal.
                    if (process.platform === 'win32') process.emit(process.argv[1]);
                    else process.kill(process.pid, process.argv[1]);
                }
                await closed;
                await app.shutdown();
                assert.equal(running.server.listening, false);
                assert.deepEqual(['SIGINT', 'SIGTERM'].map(signal => process.listenerCount(signal)), initial);
            })().catch(error => { console.error(error); process.exitCode = 1; });
        `, mode]);
        assert.equal(result.code, 0, result.stdout + result.stderr);
        assert.equal(result.signal, null);
    });
}

test('the actual application entrypoint reports an occupied port', { timeout: 7000 }, async t => {
    const net = require('node:net');
    const occupied = net.createServer(socket => socket.destroy());
    const loopback = net.createServer(socket => socket.destroy());
    t.after(async () => {
        for (const server of [occupied, loopback]) await new Promise(resolve => server.close(resolve));
    });
    occupied.listen(0, '0.0.0.0');
    await once(occupied, 'listening');
    // Windows may allow separate wildcard and loopback binds to the same port.
    loopback.listen(occupied.address().port, '127.0.0.1');
    try { await once(loopback, 'listening'); }
    catch (error) { assert.equal(error.code, 'EADDRINUSE'); }
    const env = { ...process.env, PORT: String(occupied.address().port), NODE_ENV: 'test', DASHBOARD_DATABASE: ':memory:' };
    delete env.DASHBOARD_ORIGIN;
    const result = await execute(t, ['dist/app.js'], env);
    assert.equal(result.code, 1, result.stdout + result.stderr);
    assert.equal(result.signal, null);
    assert.match(result.stderr, /EADDRINUSE/);
});
```

### README.md

````md
# Your Redweb application

Requirements: Node.js 18 or newer and npm for the realtime, chat, site, socket and http-ws templates; the dashboard template requires Node.js 22.13+ for native SQLite. Use a currently supported Node.js release in production.

For an unreleased checkout or tarball, first run `npm install --save-exact TARBALL`, replacing `TARBALL` with the absolute path to the same tested Redweb tarball used to generate this app (quote paths containing spaces). This installs the matching package and its published client dependency. Do not substitute an older registry release or `latest`. Published Redweb releases can use the installation command below directly.

```sh
npm install
npm test
npm run dev
```

HTTP starters open at http://localhost:8181; the authenticated dashboard uses http://127.0.0.1:8181/login and requires account provisioning described below. Set the `PORT` environment variable to change the listener.
`npm test` builds and runs real HTTP/WebSocket integration tests on an ephemeral loopback port. No mocks or external service are needed.
`npm run test:coverage` runs the same tests with application coverage mapped back to TypeScript. Reports are written to the ignored `coverage/` directory; this is separate from Redweb library coverage. TypeScript-generated decorator accessors can appear in function counts even when the framework does not call them. The report exposes remaining gaps; it does not certify complete application coverage. Source maps are generated during the build for diagnostics and coverage, but no coverage collector is loaded by `npm start`.

## Development and production

Edit `src/app.tsx`. `npm run dev` watches TypeScript, TSX, CSS, HTML, and the root TypeScript configuration,
then rebuilds and restarts the server. A type error stops startup until you fix it. On direct localhost access,
HTML pages refresh automatically when a new server revision is ready. If edits were detected, a keyboard-accessible
notice keeps the old document until you choose **Reload and discard drafts**. This is a conservative edit guard,
not autosave or browser hot-module replacement: restarts reset in-memory state and old socket sessions.
The generated development command sets `REDWEB_DEV_REFRESH=1`; `development: { refresh: false }` overrides it.
The refresh feature is refused under `NODE_ENV=production`, applies only to served HTML (not raw sockets or static exports),
and creates no local/session-storage copy of form contents. Use direct `localhost`, `127.x.x.x`, or `[::1]` access;
custom hostnames, tunnels and proxy-forwarded origins are not supported by this development helper.
`npm run build` checks types and copies CSS/HTML beside the compiled classes in `dist/`.
Run `npm start` to serve the compiled app. For deployment, build first, ship `dist/`, `package.json`, and the lockfile,
then install runtime dependencies with `npm ci --omit=dev`. The application does not require TypeScript or `src/` at runtime.

The standalone entrypoint calls `app.run()` on a `defineApp` definition. Importing it opens no listener and installs no process handlers. Redweb owns HTTP and WebSocket startup together, including signal handling and bounded shutdown; no generated `run-app.ts` helper is needed. Configure `startupTimeoutMs` and `shutdownTimeoutMs` on the definition (both default to five seconds). App-wide service classes acquire resources in `onInit(app, signal)` and release them in `onShutdown()`; the dashboard uses this for its auth/database resources. The dashboard's factory configures an independent private workspace but does not start it.

Repeated signals do not bypass cleanup. Failed process-owned cleanup sets a failure exit status and retains a deadline for surviving handles. Explicit `shutdown()` rejects on cleanup failures without terminating its caller. Deadlines cannot preempt synchronous code blocking Node's event loop or arbitrary operations that ignore cancellation. Tests can define an independent application from `{ ...app.options, port: 0, signals: false }` and await `run()`; app-owned state is isolated, but objects deliberately captured by page class closures remain shared unless a new class/room is created.

The shipped lifecycle tests exercise actual processes, HTTP/TCP/WebSocket peers and timers. Linux uses actual OS signals; Windows tests explicitly emit signal events inside the process because killing a Windows child does not exercise graceful POSIX signal delivery. This is not a claim that Windows console/service managers forward the same signals. Deploy with a supervisor that forwards the supported termination signal and allows longer than the configured cleanup deadline.

For public deployment, configure HTTPS/WSS at your Node server or reverse proxy, authentication, trusted origins,
and application-specific rate limits. These starters are demonstrations, not a hosted identity or database service.
Never commit secrets; `.env` is ignored but is not loaded automatically.

`npx --no-install redweb doctor --json` reports configuration problems without changing your files.

## Realtime starter

`CounterPage` owns its state on the server. `shared: true` deliberately shares the counter between visitors.
The browser button invokes only the decorated `increment` action; it does not supply the new count.
Open two tabs to check the broadcast. State is in memory and resets when the server restarts.

`{this.count}` updates automatically because the page reads decorated state during rendering; no wrapper element is required.
No repeated binding name or browser-side state is needed. State changes are assignment-driven; render methods must not modify state.
````

### .gitignore

```text
node_modules/
dist/
coverage/
.env
data/
*.sqlite
*.sqlite-wal
*.sqlite-shm
```