passport.socketio

Access passport.js user information from a socket.io connection.

Installation

npm install passport.socketio

Example usage

// initialize our modules
var io               = require("socket.io")(server),
    sessionStore     = require('awesomeSessionStore'), // find a working session store (have a look at the readme)
    passportSocketIo = require("passport.socketio");

// set authorization for socket.io
io.set('authorization', passportSocketIo.authorize({
  cookieParser: express.cookieParser,
  key:         'express.sid',       // the name of the cookie where express/connect stores its session_id
  secret:      'session_secret',    // the session_secret to parse the cookie
  store:       sessionStore,        // we NEED to use a sessionstore. no memorystore please
  success:     onAuthorizeSuccess,  // *optional* callback on success - read more below
  fail:        onAuthorizeFail,     // *optional* callback on fail/error - read more below
}));

function onAuthorizeSuccess(data, accept){
  console.log('successful connection to socket.io');
  
  // The accept-callback still allows us to decide whether to
  // accept the connection or not.
  accept(null, true);
}

function onAuthorizeFail(data, message, error, accept){
  if(critical)
    throw new Error(message);
  console.log('failed connection to socket.io:', message);
  
  // We use this callback to log all of our failed connections.
  accept(null, false);
}

passport.socketio - Options

store [function] required:

Always provide one. If you don't know what sessionStore to use, have a look at this list. Also be sure to use the same sessionStore or at least a connection to the same collection/table/whatever. And don't forget your express.session() middleware:
app.use(express.session({ store: awesomeSessionStore }));
For further info about this middleware see the official documentation.

cookieParser [function] required:

You have to provide your cookieParser from express: express.cookieParser

key [string] optional:

Defaults to 'connect.sid'. But you're always better of to be sure and set your own key. Don't forget to also change it in your express.session():
app.use(express.session({ key: 'your.sid-key' }));

secret [string] optional:

As with key, also the secret you provide is optional. But: be sure to have one. That's always safer. You can set it like the key:
app.use(express.session({ secret: 'pinkie ate my cupcakes!' }));

passport [function] optional:

Defaults to require('passport'). If you want, you can provide your own instance of passport for whatever reason.

success [function] optional:

Callback which will be called everytime a authorized user successfuly connects to your socket.io instance. Always be sure to accept/reject the connection. For that, there are two parameters: function(data[object], accept[function]). data contains all the user-information from passport. The second parameter is for accepting/rejecting connections. Use it like this:

// accept connection
accept(null, true);

// reject connection (for whatever reason)
accept(null, false);

fail [function] optional:

The name of this callback may be a little confusing. While it is called when a not-authorized-user connects, it is also called when there's a error. For debugging reasons you are provided with two additional parameters function(data[object], message[string], error[bool], accept[function]):

/* ... */
function onAuthorizeFail(data, message, error, accept){
  // error indicates whether the fail is due to an error or just a unauthorized client
  if(error){
    throw new Error(message);
  } else {
    console.log(message);
    // the same accept-method as above in the success-callback
    accept(null, false);
  }
}

// or
// This function accepts every client unless there's an error
function onAuthorizeFail(data, message, error, accept){
  console.log(message);
  accept(null, !error);
}

You can use the message parameter for debugging/logging/etc uses.

socket.handshake.user

This property is always available from inside a io.on('connection') handler. If the user is authorized via passport, you can access all the properties from there.
Plus you have the socket.handshake.user.logged_in property which tells you whether the user is currently authorized or not.

Additional methods

passportSocketIo.filterSocketsbyUser

This function gives you the ability to filter all connected sockets via a user property. Needs two parameters function(io, function(user)). Example:

passportSocketIo.filterSocketsByUser(io, function(user){
  return user.gender === 'female';
}).forEach(function(socket){
  socket.send('msg', 'hello, woman!');
});

CORS-Workaround:

If you happen to have to work with Cross-Origin-Requests (marked by socket.io as handshake.xdomain) then here's a workaround:

Clientside:

You have to provide the session-cookie. If you haven't set a name yet, do it like this: app.use(express.session({ key: 'your.sid-key' }));

// Note: ther's no readCookie-function built in.
// Get your own in the internetz
socket = io.connect('//' + window.location.host, {
  query: 'session_id=' + readCookie('your.sid-key')
});

Serverside:

Nope, there's nothing to do on the server side. Just be sure that the cookies names match.

Notes:

• Does NOT support cookie-based sessions. eg: express.cookieSession
• If the connection fails, check if you are requesting from a client via CORS. Check socket.handshake.xdomain === true as there are no cookies sent. For a workaround look at the code above.

Contribute

You are always welcome to open an issue or provide a pull-request!
Also check out the unit tests:

npm test

License

Licensed under the MIT-License.
2012-2013 José F. Romaniello.