This project demonstrates how to add real-time functionality to a Symfony application using three different real-time technologies.

1. Ratchet (PHP)
2. Faye (Node)
3. Pusher (Hosted service)

These samples were originally prepare for a talk at Symfony Live London 2015. You can view the slides here:

• Real-Time Web Apps & Symfony. What are your options?

Install the Symfony app dependencies:

cd symfony
composer install
cd ..

If you wish to run the Pusher sample you'll need to create a app/config/pusher.yml and signup for a free account. If you don't wish to run the Pusher sample you will need to remove the import from app/config/config.yml.

Once the dependencies are installed you'll need to create the database for the sample chat application.

php symfony/app/console doctrine:database:create
php symfony/app/console doctrine:schema:update --force

Run the application:

php symfony/app/console server:run

For this sample to work you will need Redis installed.

Note: Redis only works on *nix machines

Install the Ratchet application dependencies:

cd ratchet
composer install
cd ..

Messages will be recieved by Ratchet from the Symfony application via Redis (Symfony -> Redis -> Ratchet). So, you'll need to uncomment the code that publishes the chat messages to Redis.

Open up symfony/src/AppBundle/Controller/ChatController.php and ensure the following is uncommented:

$data = [
  'event' => 'new-message',
  'data' => $message
];
$jsonContent = json_encode($data);
$redis = new Client('tcp://127.0.0.1:6379');
$redis->publish('chat', $jsonContent);

Ensure the Symfony application is running:

php symfony/app/console server:run

In a new console/terminal window ensure redis is running:

redis-server

In a new console/terminal run the Ratchet application:

php ratchet/bin/chat-server.php

Navigate to http://localhost:8000/chat/ratchet. Open a 2nd browser window so you can see the messages appear in both windows.

For this sample to work you will need Redis installed.

Note: Redis only works on *nix machines

Install the Faye application dependencies:

cd faye
npm install
cd ..

Messages will be received by Faye from the Symfony application via Redis (Symfony -> Redis -> Faye). So, you'll need to uncomment the code that publishes the chat messages to Redis.

Open up symfony/src/AppBundle/Controller/ChatController.php and ensure the following is uncommented:

$data = [
  'event' => 'new-message',
  'data' => $message
];
$jsonContent = json_encode($data);
$redis = new Client('tcp://127.0.0.1:6379');
$redis->publish('chat', $jsonContent);

Ensure the Symfony application is running:

php symfony/app/console server:run

In a new console/terminal window ensure redis is running:

redis-server

In a new console/terminal run the Faye application:

node faye/index.js

Navigate to http://localhost:8000/chat/faye. Open a 2nd browser window so you can see the messages appear in both windows.

For this sample to work you will need to signup for a free Pusher account.

Messages will be sent to Pusher and on to the web browser client via the Pusher service.

Open up symfony/src/AppBundle/Controller/ChatController.php and ensure the following is uncommented:

$pusher = $this->container->get('lopi_pusher.pusher');
$pusher->trigger(
  'chat',
  'new-message',
  $message
);

Note: If you've previously used the Ratchet or Faye sample then you should comment out the lines that interact with Redis.

Ensure the Symfony application is running:

php symfony/app/console server:run

Navigate to http://localhost:8000/chat/pusher. Open a 2nd browser window so you can see the messages appear in both windows.

If you've any questions about this sample please raise and issue. If you've any more general questions then please email me: phil@pusher.com/phil@leggetter.co.uk.