Rocket.Chat Node.js SDK

Application interface for server methods and message stream subscriptions.

Super Quick Start (30 seconds)

Create your own working BOT for Rocket.Chat, in seconds, at glitch.com.

Quick Start

Add your own Rocket.Chat BOT, running on your favorite Linux, MacOS or Windows system.

First, make sure you have the latest version of nodeJS (nodeJS 8.x or higher).

node -v
v8.9.3

In a project directory, add Rocket.Chat.js.SDK as dependency:

npm install @rocket.chat/sdk --save

Next, create easybot.js with the following:

const { driver } = require('@rocket.chat/sdk');
// customize the following with your server and BOT account information
const HOST = 'myserver.com';
const USER = 'mysuer';
const PASS = 'mypassword';
const BOTNAME = 'easybot';  // name  bot response to
const SSL = true;  // server uses https ?
const ROOMS = ['GENERAL', 'myroom1'];

var myuserid;
// this simple bot does not handle errors, different message types, server resets 
// and other production situations 

const runbot = async () => {
    const conn = await driver.connect( { host: HOST, useSsl: SSL})
    myuserid = await driver.login({username: USER, password: PASS});
    const roomsJoined = await driver.joinRooms(ROOMS);
    console.log('joined rooms');

    // set up subscriptions - rooms we are interested in listening to
    const subscribed = await driver.subscribeToMessages();
    console.log('subscribed');

    // connect the processMessages callback
    const msgloop = await driver.reactToMessages( processMessages );
    console.log('connected and waiting for messages');

    // when a message is created in one of the ROOMS, we 
    // receive it in the processMesssages callback

    // greets from the first room in ROOMS 
    const sent = await driver.sendToRoom( BOTNAME + ' is listening ...',ROOMS[0]);
    console.log('Greeting message sent');
}

// callback for incoming messages filter and processing
const processMessages = async(err, message, messageOptions) => {
  if (!err) {
    // filter our own message
    if (message.u._id === myuserid) return;
    // can filter further based on message.rid
    const roomname = await driver.getRoomName(message.rid);
    if (message.msg.toLowerCase().startsWith(BOTNAME)) {
      const response = message.u.username + 
            ', how can ' + BOTNAME + ' help you with ' +
            message.msg.substr(BOTNAME.length + 1);
      const sentmsg = await driver.sendToRoom(response, roomname);
    }
  }
}

runbot()

The above code uses async calls to login, join rooms, subscribe to message streams and respond to messages (with a callback) using provided options to filter the types of messages to respond to.

Make sure you customize the constants to your Rocket.Chat server account.

Finally, run the bot:

node easybot.js

TBD: insert screenshot of bot working on a server

Demo

There's a simple listener script provided to demonstrate functionality locally. See the source here and/or run it with yarn start.

The start script will log to console any message events that appear in its stream. It will respond to a couple specific commands demonstrating usage of the API helpers. Try messaging the bot directly one of the following:

• tell everyone <something> - It will send that "something" to everyone
• who's online - It will tell you who's online

Overview

Using this package third party apps can control and query a Rocket.Chat server instance, via Asteroid login and method calls as well as DDP for subscribing to stream events.

Designed especially for chat automation, this SDK makes it easy for bot and integration developers to provide the best solutions and experience for their community.

For example, the Hubot Rocketchat adapter uses this package to enable chat-ops workflows and multi-channel, multi-user, public and private interactions. We have more bot features and adapters on the roadmap and encourage the community to implement this SDK to provide adapters for their bot framework or platform of choice.

Docs

Full documentation can be generated locally using yarn docs. This isn't in a format we can publish yet, but can be useful for development.

Below is just a summary:

The following modules are exported by the SDK:

• driver - Handles connection, method calls, room subscriptions (via Asteroid)
• methodCache - Manages results cache for calls to server (via LRU cache)
• api - Provides a client for making requests with Rocket.Chat's REST API

Access these modules by importing them from SDK, e.g:

For Node 8 / ES5

const { driver, methodCache, api } = require('@rocket.chat/sdk')

For ES6 supporting platforms

import { driver, methodCache, api } from '@rocket.chat/sdk'

Any Rocket.Chat server method can be called via driver.callMethod, driver.cacheCall or driver.asyncCall. Server methods are not fully documented, most require searching the Rocket.Chat codebase.

Driver methods use an Asteroid DDP connection. See its own docs for more advanced methods that can be called from the driver.asteroid interface.

Rocket.Chat REST API calls can be made via api.get or api.post, with parameters defining the endpoint, payload and if authorization is required (respectively). See the REST API docs for details.

Some common requests for user queries are made available as simple helpers under api.users, such as api.users.onlineIds() which returns the user IDs of all online users. Run ts-node src/utils/users.ts for a demo of user query outputs.

MESSAGE OBJECTS

The Rocket.Chat message schema can be found here: https://rocket.chat/docs/developer-guides/schema-definition/

The structure for messages in this package matches that schema, with a TypeScript interface defined here: https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat.js.SDK/blob/master/src/config/messageInterfaces.ts

The driver.prepareMessage method (documented below) provides a helper for simple message creation and the message module can also be imported to create new Message class instances directly if detailed attributes are required.

DRIVER METHODS

driver.connect(options[, cb])

Connects to a Rocket.Chat server

• Options accepts host and timeout attributes
• Can return a promise, or use error-first callback pattern
• Resolves with an Asteroid instance

driver.disconnect()

Unsubscribe, logout, disconnect from Rocket.Chat

• Returns promise

driver.login([credentials])

Login to Rocket.Chat via Asteroid

• Accepts object with username and/or email and password
• Uses defaults from env ROCKETCHAT_USER and ROCKETCHAT_PASSWORD
• Returns promise
• Resolves with logged in user ID

driver.logout()

Logout current user via Asteroid

• Returns promise

driver.subscribe(topic, roomId)

Subscribe to Meteor subscription

• Accepts parameters for Rocket.Chat streamer
• Returns promise
• Resolves with subscription instance (with ID)

driver.unsubscribe(subscription)

Cancel a subscription

• Accepts a subscription instance
• Returns promise

driver.unsubscribeAll()

Cancel all current subscriptions

• Returns promise

driver.subscribeToMessages()

Shortcut to subscribe to user's message stream

• Uses .subscribe arguments with defaults
  • topic: stream-room-messages
  • roomId: __my_messages__
• Returns a subscription instance

driver.reactToMessages(callback)

Once a subscription is created, using driver.subscribeToMessages() this method can be used to attach a callback to changes in the message stream.

Fires callback with every change in subscriptions.

• Uses error-first callback pattern
• Second argument is the changed item
• Third argument is additional attributes, such as roomType

For example usage, see the Rocket.Chat Hubot adapter's receive function, which is bound as a callback to this method: https://github.com/RocketChat/hubot-rocketchat/blob/convert-es6/index.js#L97-L193

driver.respondToMessages(callback, options)

Proxy for reactToMessages with some filtering of messages based on config. This is a more user-friendly method for bots to subscribe to a message stream.

Fires callback after filters run on subscription events.

• Uses error-first callback pattern
• Second argument is the changed item
• Third argument is additional attributes, such as roomType

Accepts options object, that parallels respond filter env variables:

• options.rooms : respond to messages in joined rooms
• options.allPublic : respond to messages on all channels
• options.dm : respond to messages in DMs with the SDK user
• options.livechat : respond to messages in Livechat rooms
• options.edited : respond to edited messages

If rooms are given as option or set in the environment with ROCKETCHAT_ROOM but have not been joined yet this method will join to those rooms automatically.

If allPublic is true, the rooms option will be ignored.

driver.asyncCall(method, params)

Wraps server method calls to always be async

• Accepts a method name and params (array or single param)
• Returns a Promise

driver.cacheCall(method, key)

Call server method with methodCache

• Accepts a method name and single param (used as cache key)
• Returns a promise
• Resolves with server results or cached if still valid

driver.callMethod(method, params)

Implements either asyncCall or cacheCall if cache exists

• Accepts a method name and params (array or single param)
• Outcome depends on if methodCache.create was done for the method

driver.useLog(logger)

Replace the default log, e.g. with one from a bot framework

• Accepts class or object with debug, info, warn, error methods.
• Returns nothing

driver.getRoomId(name)

Get ID for a room by name

• Accepts name or ID string
• Is cached
• Returns a promise
• Resolves with room ID

driver.getRoomName(id)

Get name for a room by ID

• Accepts ID string
• Is cached
• Returns a promise
• Resolves with room name

driver.getDirectMessageRoomId(username)

Get ID for a DM room by its recipient's name

• Accepts string username
• Returns a promise
• Resolves with room ID

driver.joinRoom(room)

Join the logged in user into a room

• Accepts room name or ID string
• Returns a promise

driver.joinRooms(rooms)

As above, with array of room names/IDs

driver.prepareMessage(content[, roomId])

Structure message content for sending

• Accepts a message object or message text string
• Optionally addressing to room ID with second param
• Returns a message object

driver.sendMessage(message)

Send a prepared message object (with pre-defined room ID)

• Accepts a message object
• Returns a promise that resolves to sent message object

driver.sendToRoomId(content, roomId)

Prepare and send string/s to specified room ID

• Accepts message text string or array of strings
• Returns a promise or array of promises that resolve to sent message object/s

driver.sendToRoom(content, room)

As above, with room name instead of ID

driver.sendDirectToUser(content, username)

As above, with username for DM instead of ID

• Creates DM room if it doesn't exist

METHOD CACHE

LRU is used to cache results from the server, to reduce unnecessary calls for data that is unlikely to change, such as room IDs. Utility methods and env vars allow configuring, creating and resetting caches for specific methods.

methodCache.use(instance)

Set the instance to call methods on, with cached results

• Accepts an Asteroid instance (or possibly other classes)
• Returns nothing

methodCache.create(method[, options])

Setup a cache for a method call

• Accepts method name and cache options object, such as:
  • max Maximum size of cache
  • maxAge Maximum age of cache

methodCache.call(method, key)

Get results of a prior method call or call and cache

• Accepts method name to call and key as single param
• Only methods with a single string argument can be cached (currently) due to the usage of this argument as the index for the cached results.

methodCache.has(method)

Checking if method has been cached

• Accepts method name
• Returns bool

methodCache.get(method, key)

Get results of a prior method call

• Accepts method name and key (argument method called with)
• Returns results at key

methodCache.reset(method[, key])

Reset a cached method call's results

• Accepts a method name, optional key
• If key given, clears only that result set
• Returns bool

methodCache.resetAll()

Reset cached results for all methods

• Returns nothing

API CLIENT

We've included an API client to make it super simple for bots and apps consuming the SDK to call the Rocket.Chat REST API endpoints.

By default, it will attempt to login with the same defaults or env config as the driver, but the .login method could be used manually prior to requests to use different credentials.

If a request is made to an endpoint requiring authentication, before login is called, it will attempt to login first and keep the response token for later.

Bots and apps should manually call the API .logout method on shutdown if they have used the API.

api.loggedIn()

Returns boolean status of existing login

api.post(endpoint, data[, auth, ignore])

Make a POST request to the REST API

• endpoint - The API resource ID, e.g. channels.info
• data - Request payload object to send, e.g. { roomName: 'general' }
• auth - If authorisation is required (defaults to true)
• Returns promise

api.get(endpoint, data[, auth, ignore])

Make a GET request to the REST API

• endpoint - The API endpoint resource ID, e.g. users.list
• data - Params (converted to query string), e.g. { fields: { 'username': 1 } }
• auth - If authorisation is required (defaults to true)
• Returns promise

api.login([user])

Perform login with default or given credentials

• user object with .username and .password properties.
• Returns promise, resolves with login result

api.logout()

Logout the current user. Returns promise

api.currentLogin

Exported property with details of the current API session

• .result - The login request result
• .username - The logged in user's username
• .userId - The logged in user's ID
• .authToken - The current auth token

api.userFields

Exported property for user query helper default fields

• Defaults to { name: 1, username: 1, status: 1, type: 1 }
• See https://rocket.chat/docs/developer-guides/rest-api/query-and-fields-info/

api.users.all([fields])

Helper for querying all users

• Optional fields object (see fields docs link above)
• Returns promise, resolves with array of user objects

api.users.allNames()

Helper for querying all usernames

• Returns promise, resolves with array of usernames

api.users.allIDs()

Helper for querying all user IDs

• Returns promise, resolves with array of IDs

api.users.online([fields])

Helper for querying online users

• Optional fields object (see fields docs link above)
• Returns promise, resolves with array of user objects

api.users.onlineNames()

Helper for querying online usernames

• Returns promise, resolves with array of usernames

api.users.onlineIds()

Helper for querying online user IDs

• Returns promise, resolves with array of IDs

Development

A local instance of Rocket.Chat is required for unit tests to confirm connection and subscription methods are functional. And it helps to manually run your SDK interactions (i.e. bots) locally while in development.

Use as Dependency

yarn add @rocket.chat/sdk

or

npm install --save @rocket.chat/sdk

ES6 module, using async

import * as rocketchat from '@rocket.chat/sdk'

const asteroid = await rocketchat.driver.connect({ host: 'localhost:3000' })
console.log('connected', asteroid)

ES5 module, using callback

const rocketchat = require('@rocket.chat/sdk')

rocketchat.driver.connect({ host: 'localhost:3000' }, function (err, asteroid) {
  if (err) console.error(err)
  else console.log('connected', asteroid)
})

Settings

These are only required in test and development, assuming in production they will be passed from the adapter implementing this package.

ROCKETCHAT_ROOM is ignored when using LISTEN_ON_ALL_PUBLIC. This option also allows the bot to listen and respond to messages from all private groups where the bot's user has been added as a member.

Installing Rocket.Chat

Clone and run a new instance of Rocket.Chat locally, using either the internal mongo or a dedicated local mongo for testing, so you won't affect any other Rocket.Chat development you might do locally.

The following will provision a default admin user on build, so it can be used to access the API, allowing SDK utils to prepare for and clean up tests.

git clone https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat.git rc-sdk-test
cd rc-sdk-test
meteor npm install
export ADMIN_PASS=pass; export ADMIN_USERNAME=sdk; export MONGO_URL='mongodb://localhost:27017/rc-sdk-test'; meteor

Using yarn to run local tests and build scripts is recommended.

Do npm install -g yarn if you don't have it. Then setup the project:

git clone https://github.com/RocketChat/Rocket.Chat.js.SDK.git
cd Rocket.Chat.js.SDK
yarn

Test and Build Scripts

• yarn test runs tests and coverage locally (pretest does lint)
• yarn test:debug runs tests without coverage, breaking for debug attach
• yarn start run locally from source, to allow manual testing of streams
• yarn docs generates API docs locally, then open docs/index.html
• yarn build runs tests, coverage, compiles, and tests package for publishing
• yarn test:package uses package-preview to make sure the published node package can be required and run only with defined dependencies, to avoid errors that might pass locally due to existing global dependencies or symlinks.

yarn:hook is run on git push hooks to prevent publishing with failing tests, but won't change coverage to avoid making any working copy changes after commit.

Integration Tests

The node scripts in utils are used to prepare for and clean up after test interactions. They use the Rocket.Chat API to create a bot user and a mock human user for the bot to interact with. It is always advised to only run tests with a connection to a clean local or re-usable container instance of Rocket.Chat.

Debugging

Configs are included in source for VS Code using Wallaby or Mocha Sidebar.