🔮[RFC]: Design and Implementation of WebSocket-based IM System with Comprehensive E2E Testing

[cubxxw]

Overview

This issue outlines the design and development plan for a WebSocket-based Instant Messaging (IM) application named GoChat, leveraging Go for backend services. The objective is to create a real-time, scalable, and secure messaging system that supports features like user registration/login, one-on-one and group chats, file/media sharing, and real-time notifications. Additionally, we aim to implement a robust End-to-End (E2E) testing strategy to ensure functionality, reliability, and performance.

Objectives

• Implement real-time messaging using WebSockets for efficient, bidirectional communication.
• Develop features for user management, messaging, and media sharing.
• Integrate a relational database (MySQL) for data persistence.
• Ensure security measures for data protection and safe communication.
• Establish a comprehensive E2E testing framework to validate all features under real-world scenarios.

Technical Specifications

1. WebSocket Communication:

   • Utilize gorilla/websocket for WebSocket functionality.
   • Implement connection management, including handling of concurrency, heartbeats, and disconnections.

2. Backend Implementation:

   • Develop RESTful APIs for user registration, authentication, and profile management.
   • Use JWT for secure authentication and session management.
   • Integrate MySQL database for storing user data, messages, and media metadata.
   • Implement media file storage and retrieval, considering scalability and security (e.g., Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage).

3. Frontend Implementation (Optional Scope):

   • Develop a responsive web client using React/Vue.js for real-time messaging.
   • Implement UI components for chat interfaces, notifications, and file uploads.

4. Security Considerations:

   • Encrypt communication using TLS (wss:// for WebSocket connections).
   • Secure RESTful endpoints and WebSocket connections with JWT-based authentication.
   • Implement input validation and sanitization to prevent SQL injection and XSS attacks.

5. E2E Testing Strategy:

   • Define test scenarios covering user interactions, messaging functionality, and error handling.
   • Utilize Go testing frameworks (e.g., Testify) and E2E testing tools (e.g., Selenium, Cypress) for automated testing.
   • Integrate testing with CI/CD pipelines for automated execution and reporting.

Development Milestones

1. Infrastructure Setup:

   • Configure development, testing, and production environments.
   • Set up MySQL database schemas and initial data setup.

2. Core Feature Development:

   • User registration and authentication system.
   • WebSocket-based messaging system for real-time communication.
   • File and media sharing capabilities.

3. Security Enhancements:

   • Implement secure communication protocols and data encryption.
   • Secure application endpoints and services.

4. E2E Testing Implementation:

   • Develop and automate E2E test cases.
   • Integrate E2E tests into the CI/CD pipeline.

5. Performance Optimization:

   • Analyze and optimize the performance of WebSocket communication.
   • Optimize database interactions for scalability and speed.

Expected Outcomes

• A fully functional WebSocket-based IM system with a focus on real-time performance, scalability, and security.
• Comprehensive E2E test coverage ensuring high reliability and user satisfaction.
• Documentation covering system design, API endpoints, and testing scenarios.

Future Considerations

• Explore the integration of advanced features such as end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for private messaging.
• Consider the implementation of additional client platforms (e.g., mobile apps using Flutter/React Native).

[cubxxw]

Link： https://github.com/openimsdk/open-im-server/issues/1262

[kubbot]

This issue is stale because it has been open 60 days with no activity. Remove stale label or comment or this will be closed in 7 days.

[kubbot]

This issue was closed because it has been stalled for 7 days with no activity.