Overview:
Soketi is an open-source WebSockets server compatible with the Pusher Protocol v7. It is designed for developers who need a real-time communication layer for frontend applications or internal services, offering a self-hosted alternative to cloud-based services. Built on uWebSockets.js, it aims to provide high performance and low resource consumption, capable of handling thousands of active connections with less than 1 GB of RAM and 1 CPU. It supports multiple deployment methods, from single instances for development to scaled clusters for production.
Core Features:
Pusher Protocol v7 compatibility: Existing projects using Pusher require minimal code changes to connect to Soketi.
App-based access: API and WebSocket access is managed through defined apps, similar to Pusher.
Multiple data stores for app credentials: Supports static arrays, DynamoDB, and SQL databases like Postgres.
Redis scaling: Uses Redis to enable horizontal scaling for production workloads.
Prometheus metrics: Provides built-in monitoring endpoints for deployment observability.
Portable deployment: Supports installation across containerized and monolithic infrastructures.
Use Cases:
Developers running real-time features for web or mobile apps: Implementing live updates, notifications, or collaborative features using WebSockets.
Teams needing a self-hosted alternative to Pusher: Replacing a cloud service with a server they control, while keeping the same client protocol.
Benchmarking and local development: Testing real-time functionality without usage limits or external dependencies.
Production deployments at scale: Running multiple active Soketi instances behind Redis to serve hundreds or thousands of concurrent users.
Why It Matters:
Soketi offers a self-hosted, Pusher-compatible WebSockets server that can run on modest cloud instances, potentially reducing costs compared to per-connection or per-message cloud pricing. Its implementation of a standard protocol (Pusher v7) allows developers to migrate existing applications with minimal code changes. The project is kept open-source and free, with a focus on performance and developer accessibility, including support for Redis-based scaling and Prometheus monitoring for production environments.