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Broadcast Chat

BroadcastChat is a real-time chat app built with Next.js and the Broadcast Channel API. It shows how to use the Broadcast Channel API to enable communication between multiple browser tabs. Users enter their names, send messages, and see updates in real time across all open tabs. The app also tracks and displays active participants.

For more details on using the Broadcast Channel API, check out my article: Exploring the Broadcast Channel API for Real-Time Browser Tab Communication.

Demo Video

demo.mp4

Features

  • Real-Time Chat: Messages are instantly shared across all open tabs.
  • Dynamic Participants List: See a list of participants, updated in real-time as new users join the chat.
  • Custom Chat Bubbles: Messages are displayed in styled chat bubbles, with distinct colors for messages sent by the current user.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

  • Node.js: Make sure you have Node.js installed. You can download it from here.
  • npm: Node Package Manager is typically installed with Node.js.

Installation

  1. Clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/oluwatunmiisheii/broadcast-api-chat-app.git

  2. Navigate to the project directory:

    cd broadcast-api-chat-app

  3. Install Dependencies:

    bun install

  4. Start the development server:

    bun dev

Usage

  • Open the application in multiple browser tabs.
  • Enter your name in each tab.
  • Send messages and watch them appear in real-time across all open tabs.
  • View the list of participants, which updates as new users join.

Reference

This project is used to demonstrate the capabilities of the Broadcast Channel API in my article: Exploring the Broadcast Channel API for Real-Time Browser Tab Communication. The article provides a detailed explanation of the API and how it can be used to build features like the one demonstrated in this application.

Technologies Used

  • React: JavaScript library for building user interfaces.
  • Broadcast Channel API: A simple API for communicating between different browser contexts (tabs, windows, iframes) of the same origin.
  • shadcn UI: A UI component library built on top of Tailwind CSS.
  • Tailwind CSS: A utility-first CSS framework for creating custom designs without writing any custom CSS.

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request or open an Issue to discuss any changes.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.