Realtime API

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⚠️ Warning: Deprecated

The DDP methods outlined are deprecated. We are no longer actively testing or maintaining these methods, and their behavior may be unreliable or change without notice.
For new development and long-term support, we strongly recommend using the REST APIs instead. Avoid relying on DDP methods for critical functionality.

The Rocket.Chat real-time API allows developers to integrate Rocket.Chat’s real-time messaging and collaboration features in their applications. It utilizes WebSockets, a technology that enables real-time communication between a client (your application) and the Rocket.Chat server. By leveraging this API, you can create dynamic, interactive experiences within your application, enabling users to send and receive messages, participate in live chats, and access various collaboration features.

To get started with the Rocket.Chat real-time API, point your client to the WebSocket of the server you want to connect to:

wss://[ABC.DOMAIN.COM]/websocket
Plain text

For localhost, use ws://localhost:3000/websocket.

The API encompasses two integral components: Method Calls and Subscriptions, which are seamlessly supported within the WebSocket connection.

To ensure streamlined functionality within a single connection, we leverage RPC (Remote Procedure Call) using the following format:

{
    "msg": "type-of-communication",
    "id": "unique-id",
    ... // per call defined data
}
JSON

The type-of-communication is defined based on its purpose:

Before requesting any method calls and subscriptions, you must send a connect message. This connect message is an initial step to establish the connection and prepare for subsequent requests.

{
    "msg": "connect",
    "version": "1",
    "support": ["1"]
}
JSON

The server periodically sends a ping message, and it's essential to respond with a pong message to maintain the connection. Failure to respond appropriately will result in the server closing the connection.

{
    "msg": "pong"
}
JSON