VueJS
Learn how to add realtime features to your VueJS webapp and start using our realtime database in the browser.
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This getting started guide will walk you through integrating deepstream in Vue. You will also learn how to implement the three deepstream core concepts: Records, Events and RPCs.
deepstream provides a JavaScript library which helps interact with your deepstream server.
Create a Vue App
Vue provides a nice CLI tool for creating and managing Vue apps. The CLI allows you to create Vue apps using different templates that use either Webpack, Browserify or just CDN scripts. This example will use the simple template which creates Vue app with the CDN scripts:
# Install Vue CLI
npm install -g vue-cli
# Create Vue app with "simple" template
vue init simple ds-vueConnect to deepstream and log in
After you have successfully created a Vue app, add the deepstream JS-client library in your new project:
<script src="https://cdn.deepstream.io/js/client/latest/ds.min.js"></script>Get your app url from the dashboard and establish a connection to deepstream using the created lifecycle hook:
new Vue({
el: '#app',
data: {
ds: null,
},
created: function() {
this.ds = new DeepstreamClient('localhost:6020')
.login()
}
})The hook will connect to your deepstream server and login only when the component is created.
Records (realtime datastore)
[[glossary]] | Records are the documents in deepstream’s realtime datastore. A record is identified by a unique id and can contain any kind of JSON data. Clients and backend processes can create, read, write, update and observe the entire record as well as paths within it. Any change is immediately synchronized amongst all connected subscribers. | Records can be arranged in lists and collections and can contain references to other records to allow for the modelling of relational data structures. | You can learn more about records in the records tutorial.
Creating a new record or retrieving an existent one works the same way
const myRecord = ds.record.getRecord( 'test/johndoe' );Values can be stored using the .set() method
myRecord.set({
firstname: 'John',
lastname: 'Doe'
});Let’s set up two-way bindings with an input field - whenever a path within our record, e.g. firstname changes we want to update the input. Whenever a user types, we want to update the record.
Let’s see an example:
const Record = {
template: `
<div class="group realtimedb">
<h2>Realtime Datastore</h2>
<div class="input-group half left">
<label>Firstname</label>
<input type="text" v-model="firstname" @input="handleFNameUpdate()" />
</div>
<div class="input-group half">
<label>Lastname</label>
<input type="text" v-model="lastname" @input="handleLNameUpdate()" />
</div>
</div>
`,
props: ['ds'],
data: function() {
return {
firstname: '',
lastname: '',
}
},
created: function() {
this.record = this.ds.record.getRecord('test/johndoe');
this.record.subscribe(values => {
this.firstname = values.firstname;
this.lastname = values.lastname;
})
},
methods: {
handleFNameUpdate: function() {
this.record.set('firstname', this.firstname);
},
handleLNameUpdate: function() {
this.record.set('lastname', this.lastname);
}
}
};The ds props is the deepstream connection instance which is passed from the parent App component to the child Record component.
The subscribe method is used to listen for updates and update the inputs accordingly. The method is called in the created lifecycle hook as well so it can be setup once the component is created.
Events (publish-subscribe)
[[glossary]]
| Events are deepstream's publish-subscribe mechanism. Clients and backend processes can subscribe to event-names (sometimes also called “topics” or “channels”) and receive messages published by other endpoints.
| Events are non-persistent, one-off messages. For persistent data, please use records.
| Events, aka Pub/Sub, allows communication using a Publish-Subscribe pattern. A client/server emits an event, which is known as publishing and all connected (subscribed) clients/servers are triggered with the event's payload if any. This is a common pattern, not just in realtime systems, but software engineering generally.
Clients and backend processes can receive events using .subscribe()
ds.event.subscribe( 'test-event', function( eventData ){ /*do stuff*/ });… and publish events using .emit()
ds.event.emit( 'test-event', {some: 'data'} );A simple example:
const Events = {
template: `
<div class="group pubsub">
<div class="half left">
<h2>Publish</h2>
<button class="half left" id="send-event" @click="handleClick()">Send test-event with</button>
<input type="text" class="half" id="event-data" v-model="value"/>
</div>
<div class="half">
<h2>Subscribe</h2>
<ul id="events-received">
<template v-for="event in eventsReceived">
<li> {{event}} </li>
</template>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
`,
props: ['ds'],
data: function() {
return {
eventsReceived: [],
value: '',
};
},
created: function() {
this.event = this.ds.event;
this.event.subscribe('test-event', value => {
this.eventsReceived.push(value);
});
},
methods: {
handleClick: function() {
this.event.emit('test-event', this.value)
}
}
};Just like the record example, ds instance is passed as props and the created hook handles the event subscription.
RPCs (request-response)
[[glossary]] | Remote Procedure Calls are deepstream's request-response mechanism. Clients and backend processes can register as “providers” for a given RPC, identified by a unique name. Other endpoints can request said RPC. | deepstream will route requests to the right provider, load-balance between multiple providers for the same RPC, and handle data-serialisation and transport.
You can make a request using .make()
ds.rpc.make( 'multiply-numbers', { a: 6, b: 7 }, function( err, result ){
//result === 42
});and answer it using .provide()
ds.rpc.provide( 'multiply-numbers', function( data, response ){
resp.send( data.a * data.b );
});For example:
const RPC = {
template: `
<div class="group reqres">
<div class="half left">
<h2>Request</h2>
<button class="half left" @click="handleClick()">Make multiply request</button>
<div class="half">
<input type="text" v-model="requestValue" class="half left" />
<span class="response half item"> {{displayResponse}} </span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="half">
<h2>Response</h2>
<div class="half left item">Multiply number with:</div>
<input type="text" class="half" v-model="responseValue" />
</div>
</div>
`,
props: ['ds'],
data: function() {
return {
responseValue: '7',
requestValue: '3',
displayResponse: '-'
}
},
created: function() {
this.rpc = this.ds.rpc;
this.rpc.provide( 'multiply-number', ( data, response ) => {
response.send( data.value * parseFloat(this.responseValue) );
});
},
methods: {
handleClick: function() {
const data = {
value: parseFloat(this.requestValue)
};
this.rpc.make( 'multiply-number', data, ( err, resp ) => {
this.displayResponse = resp || err.toString();
});
}
}
}The button click makes the request and the created hook handles the response using the provide method.
The examples can be assembled together in a parent App component:
new Vue({
el: '#app',
components: {
'my-record': Record,
'my-events': Events,
'my-rpc': RPC
},
data: {
ds: null
},
created: function() {
this.ds = new DeepstreamClient('localhost:6020')
this.ds.login()
}
})<div id="app">
<my-record :ds="ds"></my-record>
<my-events :ds="ds"></my-events>
<my-rpc :ds="ds"></my-rpc>
</div>Where to go next?
To learn how to use deepstream with other frontend frameworks head over to the tutorial section. To learn how to use the JavaScript SDK with NodeJS rather than in a browser, head over to the getting started with NodeJS tutorial.