# WebSocket Test Server

This is a simple WebSocket test tool designed for verifying connections, testing latency, and measuring Round-Trip Time (RTT). 

---

- [WebSocket Test Server](#websocket-test-server)
  - [How it works:](#how-it-works)
  - [Logging:](#logging)
  - [Setup \& Installation:](#setup--installation)
  - [How to Run](#how-to-run)
    - [Windows](#windows)
    - [Linux / MacOS](#linux--macos)
    - [Manual Execution (Advanced)](#manual-execution-advanced)
    - [Notes](#notes)
  - [Recommended Custom Test Servers](#recommended-custom-test-servers)
  - [Acknowledgements:](#acknowledgements)

---

## How it works:
- **Dual Mode**: The tester can connect to either the Twitch IRC WebSocket server or a custom WebSocket server (e.g. an echo test server, see [Recommended CTS](#recommended-custom-test-servers) for more).
- **Interactive Start**: Run the starter script [start.bat](#windows) on Windows or [start.sh](#linux--macos) on Linux and choose the run mode and target directly in the terminal.
- **Ping Cycle**: Once connected, the tester will send 5 test PINGs (1 every 5 seconds) to the chosen server:
  - *Custom servers*: Sends a `PING` message and waits for the echo response to measure RTT (Real-Time-Text).
  - *Twitch*: Sends `PING :tmi.twitch.tv` and logs the incoming Twitch server data.

---

## Logging:
- All sent and received messages, including timestamps and RTTs (in milliseconds), are tracked in real-time. 
- After 5 successful ping cycles, a log file is automatically created in the "logs" folder, containing all relevant details. 
- The program displays the final log file path and exit automatically after 3 seconds.

---

## Setup & Installation:

1. **Install Node.js**:
   - Download and install [**Node.js**](https://nodejs.org/)
   - Verify installation by running `node -v` and `npm -v` in your terminal.

2. **Prepare the Project**:
   - Clone or download this repository and open a terminal in the project folder.

3. **Install dependencies**:
   - Run the following command to install the required packages:
   ```bash
   npm install
   ```

---

## How to Run

Instead of typing long commands, use the provided interactive starter scripts:

### Windows
Double-click `start.bat`or run it via CMD with:
```cmd
start.bat
```

### Linux / MacOS
Firstly you have to give the `start.sh` execution permissions with:
```bash
chmod +x start.sh
```

Then you can start the script with:
```bash
./start.sh
```

### Manual Execution (Advanced)
If you prefer to bypass the interactive scripts, you can run the node application directly:
- Custom server mode (default): `node index.js custom [custom_url]`
- Twitch mode: `node index.js twitch [channel_name]`
  
### Notes
- **Defaults**: If you leave the `target` blank in custom mode, it will automatically fallback to `wss://echo.websocket.org`
- **Scope**: This tester is intended purely for development and network diagnostics. It does **NOT** interact with Twitch chat features beyond authentication and standard PING/PONG messages.

---

## Recommended Custom Test Servers

If you want to test the `custom` mode with different public endpoints, you can use these reliable and free WebSocket echo services:

- **`wss://echo.websocket.org`** (Default)
  - *Provider:* Built-in fallback
  - *Behavior:* Standard high-availability echo server that mirrors back any text or PING sent to it.
- **`wss://echo.websocket.in`**
  - *Provider:* PieSocket
  - *Behavior:* A fast and secure public testing endpoint, ideal for checking raw text frame stability.
- **`wss://ws.postman-echo.com/raw`**
  - *Provider:* Postman
  - *Behavior:* Part of Postman's official utility stack. It returns an exact copy of the sent payloads and is perfect for latency testing.

*Note: Make sure your firewall or network security settings allow outgoing connections on port 443 (SSL) for these addresses.*

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## Acknowledgements:
Thank you for using this tester! I hope it helps you quickly and reliably test your WebSocket servers. Feedback, improvements, or contributions are always welcome. Happy testing!