Build a Multi-User Chat With Vue.js
In this guide, you will build a multi-user chat application with Directus’ WebSockets interface that authenticate users with an existing account, show historical messages stored in Directus, allow users to send new messages, and immediately update all connected chats.
Before You Start
Set Up Your Directus Project
You will need a Directus project. If you don’t already have one, the easiest way to get started is with our managed Directus Cloud service.
Create a new collection called messages
, with date_created
and user_created
fields enabled in the Optional System Fields pane on collection creation. Create a text field called text
.
Create a new Role called Users
, and give Create and Read access to the Messages
collection, and Read access to the Directus Users
system collection. Create a new user with this role. Make note of the password you set.
Create a Vue.js Boilerplate
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<div id="app">
<form>
<label for="email">Email</label>
<input type="email" id="email" />
<label for="password">Password</label>
<input type="password" id="password" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
<ol></ol>
<form>
<label for="message">Message</label>
<input type="text" id="message" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
</div>
<script src="https://unpkg.com/vue@3/dist/vue.global.js"></script>
<script>
const { createApp } = Vue;
createApp({
data() {
return {};
},
methods: {},
}).mount('#app');
</script>
</body>
</html>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<div id="app">
<form>
<label for="email">Email</label>
<input type="email" id="email" />
<label for="password">Password</label>
<input type="password" id="password" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
<ol></ol>
<form>
<label for="message">Message</label>
<input type="text" id="message" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
</div>
<script src="https://unpkg.com/vue@3/dist/vue.global.js"></script>
<script>
const { createApp } = Vue;
createApp({
data() {
return {};
},
methods: {},
}).mount('#app');
</script>
</body>
</html>
The first form will handle user login and the second will handle new message submissions. The empty <ol>
will be populated with messages.
Inside of Vue's data
object, create a url
property being sure to replace your-directus-url
with your project’s URL:
data() {
return {
url: 'wss://your-directus-url/websocket',
connection: null,
};
},
data() {
return {
url: 'wss://your-directus-url/websocket',
connection: null,
};
},
The connection
property will later contain a WebSocket instance.
Set Up Form Submission Methods
Create the methods for form submissions:
methods: {
loginSubmit() {
},
messageSubmit() {
},
}
methods: {
loginSubmit() {
},
messageSubmit() {
},
}
Then, ensure these methods are called on form submissions by using the @submit.prevent
directive:
<!-- Login form -->
<form>
<form @submit.prevent="loginSubmit">
<label for="email">Email</label>
<!-- Message form -->
<form>
<form @submit.prevent="messageSubmit">
<label for="message">Message</label>
<!-- Login form -->
<form>
<form @submit.prevent="loginSubmit">
<label for="email">Email</label>
<!-- Message form -->
<form>
<form @submit.prevent="messageSubmit">
<label for="message">Message</label>
Establish WebSocket Connection
First, create a new login
object in your Vue application's data
object. It will contain form data:
data() {
return {
url: 'wss://your-directus-url/websocket',
connection: null,
form: {},
};
},
data() {
return {
url: 'wss://your-directus-url/websocket',
connection: null,
form: {},
};
},
Then, bind the login form's inputs to form
:
<form>
<label for="email">Email</label>
<input type="email" id="email">
<input v-model="form.email" type="email" id="email">
<label for="password">Password</label>
<input type="password" id="password">
<input v-model="form.password" type="password" id="password">
<input type="submit">
</form>
<form>
<label for="email">Email</label>
<input type="email" id="email">
<input v-model="form.email" type="email" id="email">
<label for="password">Password</label>
<input type="password" id="password">
<input v-model="form.password" type="password" id="password">
<input type="submit">
</form>
Within the loginSubmit
method, create a new WebSocket, which will immediately attempt connection:
loginSubmit() {
this.connection = new WebSocket(this.url);
},
loginSubmit() {
this.connection = new WebSocket(this.url);
},
On connection, you must send an authentication message before the timeout. Add an event handler for the connection's open
event:
loginSubmit() {
this.connection = new WebSocket(this.url);
this.connection.addEventListener('open', this.authenticate(this.form));
},
loginSubmit() {
this.connection = new WebSocket(this.url);
this.connection.addEventListener('open', this.authenticate(this.form));
},
Then, create a new authenticate
method:
authenticate(opts) {
const { email, password } = opts;
this.connection.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'auth', email, password }));
},
authenticate(opts) {
const { email, password } = opts;
this.connection.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'auth', email, password }));
},
Subscribe to messages
In a WebSocket connection, all data sent from the server will trigger the connection’s message
event. Inside loginSubmit
, add an event handler:
loginSubmit() {
this.connection = new WebSocket(this.url);
this.connection.addEventListener('open', this.authenticate(this.login));
this.connection.addEventListener('message', (message) => this.receiveMessage(message));
},
loginSubmit() {
this.connection = new WebSocket(this.url);
this.connection.addEventListener('open', this.authenticate(this.login));
this.connection.addEventListener('message', (message) => this.receiveMessage(message));
},
Then, create a new receiveMessage
method:
receiveMessage(message) {
const data = JSON.parse(message.data);
}
receiveMessage(message) {
const data = JSON.parse(message.data);
}
As soon as you have successfully authenticated, a message will be sent. When this happens, subscribe to updates on the Messages
collection. Add this inside of the receiveMessage
method:
receiveMessage(message) {
const data = JSON.parse(message.data);
if (data.type == 'auth' && data.status == 'ok') {
connection.send(JSON.stringify({
type: 'subscribe',
collection: 'messages',
query: {
fields: ['*', {'user_created': ['first_name']}],
sort: 'date_created'
}
}));
}
}
receiveMessage(message) {
const data = JSON.parse(message.data);
if (data.type == 'auth' && data.status == 'ok') {
connection.send(JSON.stringify({
type: 'subscribe',
collection: 'messages',
query: {
fields: ['*', {'user_created': ['first_name']}],
sort: 'date_created'
}
}));
}
}
When a subscription is started, a message will be sent to confirm. Add this inside of the receiveMessage
method:
receiveMessage(message) {
const data = JSON.parse(message.data);
if (data.type == 'auth' && data.status == 'ok') {
this.connection.send(
JSON.stringify({
type: 'subscribe',
collection: 'messages',
query: {
fields: ['*', {'user_created': ['first_name']}],
sort: 'date_created',
},
})
);
}
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'init') {
console.log('subscription started');
}
}
receiveMessage(message) {
const data = JSON.parse(message.data);
if (data.type == 'auth' && data.status == 'ok') {
this.connection.send(
JSON.stringify({
type: 'subscribe',
collection: 'messages',
query: {
fields: ['*', {'user_created': ['first_name']}],
sort: 'date_created',
},
})
);
}
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'init') {
console.log('subscription started');
}
}
Open your index.html
file in your browser, enter your user’s email and password, submit, and check the browser console for this console log.
Create New Messages
First, create a new messages
object in your Vue application's data
object with two properties: a new
string to be bound to the input, and a history
array to contain existing messages:
data() {
return {
url: 'wss://your-directus-url/websocket',
connection: null,
form: {},
messages: {
new: '',
history: [],
},
};
},
data() {
return {
url: 'wss://your-directus-url/websocket',
connection: null,
form: {},
messages: {
new: '',
history: [],
},
};
},
Then, bind the login form's inputs to form
properties:
<form @submit.prevent="messageSubmit">
<label for="message">Message</label>
<input type="text" id="message">
<input v-model="messages.new" type="text" id="message">
<input type="submit">
</form>
<form @submit.prevent="messageSubmit">
<label for="message">Message</label>
<input type="text" id="message">
<input v-model="messages.new" type="text" id="message">
<input type="submit">
</form>
Within the messageSubmit
method, send a new message to create the item in your Directus collection:
messageSubmit() {
this.connection.send(
JSON.stringify({
type: 'items',
collection: 'messages',
action: 'create',
data: { text: this.messages.new },
})
);
this.messages.new = '';
}
messageSubmit() {
this.connection.send(
JSON.stringify({
type: 'items',
collection: 'messages',
action: 'create',
data: { text: this.messages.new },
})
);
this.messages.new = '';
}
Refresh your browser, login, and submit a new message. Check the Messages
collection in your Directus project and you should see a new item.
Display New Messages
In your receiveMessage
function, listen for new create
events on the Messages
collection, and add them to messages.history
:
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'create') {
this.messages.history.push(data.data[0]);
}
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'create') {
this.messages.history.push(data.data[0]);
}
Update your <ol>
to display items in the array:
<ol>
<li v-for="message in messages.history" :key="message.id">
{{ message.user_created.first_name }}: {{ message.text }}
</li>
</ol>
<ol>
<li v-for="message in messages.history" :key="message.id">
{{ message.user_created.first_name }}: {{ message.text }}
</li>
</ol>
Refresh your browser, login, and submit a new message. The result should be shown on the page. Open a second browser and navigate to your index.html file, login and submit a message there and both pages should immediately update
Display Historical Messages
Replace the console.log()
you created when the subscription is initialized:
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'init') {
console.log('subscription started');
for (const message of data.data) {
this.messages.history.push(message);
}
}
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'init') {
console.log('subscription started');
for (const message of data.data) {
this.messages.history.push(message);
}
}
Refresh your browser, login, and you should see the existing messages shown in your browser.
Next Steps
This guide covers authentication, item creation, and subscription using WebSockets. You may consider:
- Hiding the login form and only showing the new message form once authenticated.
- Handling reconnection logic if the client disconnects or a refresh token is needed.
- Locking down permissions so users can only see user first names.
- Allow for editing and deletion of messages by the author or by an admin.
Full Code Sample
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<div id="app">
<form @submit.prevent="loginSubmit">
<label for="email">Email</label>
<input v-model="form.email" type="email" id="email" />
<label for="password">Password</label>
<input v-model="form.password" type="password" id="password" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
<ol>
<li v-for="message in messages.history" :key="message.id">
{{ message.user_created.first_name }}: {{ message.text }}
</li>
</ol>
<form @submit.prevent="messageSubmit">
<label for="message">Message</label>
<input v-model="messages.new" type="text" id="message" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
</div>
<script src="https://unpkg.com/vue@3/dist/vue.global.js"></script>
<script>
const { createApp } = Vue;
createApp({
data() {
return {
url: 'wss://your-directus-url/websocket',
connection: null,
form: {},
messages: {
new: '',
history: [],
},
};
},
methods: {
loginSubmit() {
this.connection = new WebSocket(this.url);
this.connection.addEventListener('open', this.authenticate(this.form));
this.connection.addEventListener('message', (message) => this.receiveMessage(message));
},
messageSubmit() {
this.connection.send(
JSON.stringify({
type: 'items',
collection: 'messages',
action: 'create',
data: { text: this.messages.new },
})
);
this.messages.new = '';
},
authenticate(opts) {
const { email, password } = opts;
this.connection.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'auth', email, password }));
},
receiveMessage(message) {
const data = JSON.parse(message.data);
if (data.type == 'auth' && data.status == 'ok') {
this.connection.send(
JSON.stringify({
type: 'subscribe',
collection: 'messages',
query: {
fields: ['*', {'user_created': ['first_name']}],
sort: 'date_created',
},
})
);
}
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'init') {
for (const message of data.data) {
this.messages.history.push(message);
}
}
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'create') {
this.messages.history.push(data.data[0]);
}
},
},
}).mount('#app');
</script>
</body>
</html>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<body>
<div id="app">
<form @submit.prevent="loginSubmit">
<label for="email">Email</label>
<input v-model="form.email" type="email" id="email" />
<label for="password">Password</label>
<input v-model="form.password" type="password" id="password" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
<ol>
<li v-for="message in messages.history" :key="message.id">
{{ message.user_created.first_name }}: {{ message.text }}
</li>
</ol>
<form @submit.prevent="messageSubmit">
<label for="message">Message</label>
<input v-model="messages.new" type="text" id="message" />
<input type="submit" />
</form>
</div>
<script src="https://unpkg.com/vue@3/dist/vue.global.js"></script>
<script>
const { createApp } = Vue;
createApp({
data() {
return {
url: 'wss://your-directus-url/websocket',
connection: null,
form: {},
messages: {
new: '',
history: [],
},
};
},
methods: {
loginSubmit() {
this.connection = new WebSocket(this.url);
this.connection.addEventListener('open', this.authenticate(this.form));
this.connection.addEventListener('message', (message) => this.receiveMessage(message));
},
messageSubmit() {
this.connection.send(
JSON.stringify({
type: 'items',
collection: 'messages',
action: 'create',
data: { text: this.messages.new },
})
);
this.messages.new = '';
},
authenticate(opts) {
const { email, password } = opts;
this.connection.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'auth', email, password }));
},
receiveMessage(message) {
const data = JSON.parse(message.data);
if (data.type == 'auth' && data.status == 'ok') {
this.connection.send(
JSON.stringify({
type: 'subscribe',
collection: 'messages',
query: {
fields: ['*', {'user_created': ['first_name']}],
sort: 'date_created',
},
})
);
}
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'init') {
for (const message of data.data) {
this.messages.history.push(message);
}
}
if (data.type == 'subscription' && data.event == 'create') {
this.messages.history.push(data.data[0]);
}
},
},
}).mount('#app');
</script>
</body>
</html>