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TemplatesSocket.IO Template

Socket.IO Template

The Socket.IO Template gives you a ready-to-run real-time backend built on Express and Socket.IO.
It’s ideal for chat apps, live dashboards, notifications, or multiplayer systems where low-latency updates matter.

Overview

This template extends the Basic Express setup to include real-time bidirectional communication.
It automatically configures:

  • A shared HTTP + Socket.IO server
  • Centralized socket initialization (src/config/socket.js)
  • A clean folder structure for organizing events and logic
  • Support for both REST routes and Socket events in one project

Folder Structure


<project-root>/
├─ package.json
├─ server.js
└─ src/
├─ app.js
├─ config/
│  └─ socket.js
├─ events/
│  └─ chat.js
├─ controllers/
├─ services/
├─ middleware/
└─ utils/
  • server.js — creates an HTTP server and initializes Socket.IO
  • config/socket.js — handles socket setup and event registration
  • events/ — your socket event handlers (e.g., chat, notifications)

Example Socket Initialization

// src/config/socket.js
import { Server } from "socket.io"
 
export const initSocket = (server) => {
  const io = new Server(server, {
    cors: { origin: "*" }
  })
 
  io.on("connection", (socket) => {
    console.log(`User connected: ${socket.id}`)
    socket.on("disconnect", () => console.log("User disconnected"))
  })
 
  return io
}

And in server.js:

import http from "http"
import app from "./src/app.js"
import { initSocket } from "./src/config/socket.js"
 
const server = http.createServer(app)
initSocket(server)
 
server.listen(5000, () => console.log("Server running on port 5000"))

Features

  • Real-time event-driven architecture
  • Shared HTTP and WebSocket layers
  • Event handlers organized by module
  • Compatible with REST routes in the same project
  • CORS and connection logging enabled by default
Events

Explore:

  • Events — how to register and manage real-time listeners
  • Socket Configuration — customizing options in socket.js
  • Integration — mixing REST endpoints and real-time features

When to Use

Use this template when your project requires:

  • Real-time updates (chat, dashboards, notifications)
  • Persistent user sessions via websockets
  • Live collaboration features
  • Seamless REST + Socket integration in one backend

This setup handles both HTTP and WebSocket traffic efficiently — ready to scale from prototype to production.

Get started quickly with NodeBuilder’s Socket.IO Template and build your real-time Node.js server today!

Last updated on
MiddlewareEvents