Realtime Streams
Comparable to: Socket.io, Pusher, Firebase Realtime
Key Concepts
Use the concepts below when they fit the task. Not every stream setup needs all of them.
- iii-stream serves WebSocket connections on the configured stream port (default 3112)
- Clients connect at
ws://host:{stream_port}/stream/{stream_name}/{group_id} - stream::set / stream::get / stream::list / stream::delete provide CRUD for stream items
- stream::send pushes events to all connected clients in a stream group
createStreamregisters a custom adapter for non-default stream backends- Each stream item is identified by
stream_name,group_id, anditem_id;datais the item payload
Architecture
Function
→ trigger('stream::set', { stream_name, group_id, item_id, data })
→ trigger('stream::send', { stream_name, group_id, data })
→ iii-stream
→ WebSocket push
→ Connected clients at /stream/{stream_name}/{group_id}iii Primitives Used
| Primitive | Purpose |
|---|---|
trigger({function_id: 'stream::set', payload}) | Create or update a stream item |
trigger({function_id: 'stream::get', payload}) | Read a stream item |
trigger({function_id: 'stream::list', payload}) | List items in a stream group |
trigger({function_id: 'stream::delete', payload}) | Remove a stream item |
trigger({function_id: 'stream::send', payload}) | Push an event to connected clients |
createStream | Register a custom stream adapter |
Reference Implementation
See ../references/realtime-streams.js for the full working example — a stream that pushes live updates to WebSocket clients and manages stream items with CRUD operations.
Also available in Python: ../references/realtime-streams.py
Also available in Rust: ../references/realtime-streams.rs
Common Patterns
Code using this pattern commonly includes, when relevant:
registerWorker(url, {workerName})— worker initializationtrigger({function_id: 'stream::set', payload: {stream_name, group_id, item_id, data}})— write stream itemtrigger({function_id: 'stream::send', payload: {stream_name, group_id, data}})— push event to clientstrigger({function_id: 'stream::get', payload: {stream_name, group_id, item_id}})— read stream itemtrigger({function_id: 'stream::list', payload: {stream_name, group_id}})— list items in groupcreateStream(name, adapter)— custom adapter for specialized backends
Browser Clients
For browser-side WebSocket connections, use iii-browser-sdk instead of the Node SDK. See iii-browser-sdk skill for setup details. Stream authentication via literals is supported.
Adapting This Pattern
Use the adaptations below when they apply to the task.
- Name streams after your domain (e.g.
chat-messages,dashboard-metrics,notifications) - Use
group_idto partition streams per user, room, or tenant - Combine with
iii-state-reactionsto push a stream event whenever state changes - Use
createStreamwhen the default adapter does not fit (e.g. custom persistence or fan-out logic)
Engine Configuration
iii-stream must be enabled in iii-config.yaml with a port and adapter (KvStore or Redis). See ../references/iii-config.yaml for the full annotated config reference.
Pattern Boundaries
- If the task is about persistent key-value data without real-time push, prefer
iii-state-management. - If the task needs reactive triggers on state changes (server-side), prefer
iii-state-reactions. - Stay with
iii-realtime-streamswhen the primary need is pushing live updates to connected clients.
When to Use
- Use this skill when the task is primarily about
iii-realtime-streamsin the iii engine. - Triggers when the request directly asks for this pattern or an equivalent implementation.
Boundaries
- Never use this skill as a generic fallback for unrelated tasks.
- You must not apply this skill when a more specific iii skill is a better fit.
- Always verify environment and safety constraints before applying examples from this skill.