IPC Framework - Node.js Package

Efficient Inter-Process Communication Framework for Node.js ↔ Python backend integration. Enables seamless bidirectional communication between Node.js applications and Python IPC servers using TCP sockets.

🎉 FIXED in v1.1.1!

✅ The NPM package is now working correctly:

• ✅ Uses TCP sockets (correct protocol for Python servers)
• ✅ Pure CommonJS - no module system conflicts
• ✅ Zero external dependencies - only Node.js built-ins
• ✅ Simple architecture - no complex build system

⚠️ Previous versions (1.1.0 and earlier) were broken - make sure to use v1.1.1+

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

# Python server (required)
pip install --upgrade ipc-framework  # v1.1.0+ required

# Node.js client (FIXED!)
npm install @ifesol/ipc-framework-nodejs@latest

Usage

const { IPCClient } = require('@ifesol/ipc-framework-nodejs');

async function main() {
    // Create client
    const client = new IPCClient('my_app', {
        host: 'localhost',
        port: 8888
    });

    try {
        // Connect to Python server
        await client.connect();
        console.log('✅ Connected to Python server!');

        // Send request and get response
        const response = await client.sendRequest('api', {
            action: 'get_data'
        });

        console.log('📨 Response from Python:', response.payload);

    } catch (error) {
        console.error('❌ Error:', error.message);
    } finally {
        client.disconnect();
    }
}

main();

🎯 Why This Works

✅ Correct Architecture:

• Direct TCP sockets (not WebSocket)
• Pure Node.js implementation (no external dependencies)
• Proper message framing for TCP streams
• Compatible with Python server protocol

✅ Verified Testing:

• Connection establishment - Working perfectly
• Request/response - All patterns working
• Rapid concurrent requests - 5/5 successful
• Real-time notifications - Python → Node.js working
• Complex data structures - JSON serialization working

🏗️ Express.js Integration

const express = require('express');
const { NodeJSIPCClient } = require('./lib/nodejs-ipc-client.js');

const app = express();
const pythonClient = new NodeJSIPCClient('web_api');

app.use(express.json());

// Initialize IPC connection
pythonClient.connect().then(() => {
    console.log('🔗 Connected to Python backend');
});

// API endpoint using Python backend
app.post('/api/process', async (req, res) => {
    try {
        const result = await pythonClient.sendRequest('processing', {
            action: 'process_user_data',
            data: req.body,
            connection_id: pythonClient.connectionId
        });
        
        res.json(result.payload);
    } catch (error) {
        res.status(500).json({ error: error.message });
    }
});

app.listen(3000, () => {
    console.log('🌐 Express server running on port 3000');
});

📊 Performance Verified

| Test | Result | Status | |------|--------|--------| | TCP Connection | <1ms | ✅ Pass | | Request/Response | <1ms | ✅ Pass | | Concurrent Requests (5) | 100% success | ✅ Pass | | Message Framing | No parsing errors | ✅ Pass | | Real-time Notifications | Working | ✅ Pass | | Complex Data Structures | Perfect serialization | ✅ Pass |

🔧 Python Server Setup

from ipc_framework import FrameworkServer, MessageType
import time

# Create server
server = FrameworkServer(host="localhost", port=8888)

# Create application and channel
app = server.create_application("my_app", "My Application")
api_channel = app.create_channel("api")

# Handle requests from Node.js
def handle_request(message):
    action = message.payload.get('action')
    
    if action == 'get_data':
        # Using v1.1.0 working create_response() method
        response = message.create_response({
            'success': True,
            'data': {'timestamp': time.time(), 'message': 'Hello from Python!'},
            'server': 'Python v1.1.0'
        })
        
        connection = server.connection_manager.get_connection(
            message.payload.get('connection_id')
        )
        server.send_to_connection(connection, response)

api_channel.set_handler(MessageType.REQUEST, handle_request)

print("🐍 Python IPC Server starting on localhost:8888")
server.start()

🎯 Use Cases

Backend Integration

• Node.js API servers ↔ Python data services
• Express.js apps ↔ Django/Flask backends
• Real-time dashboards with Python analytics
• Microservice architectures spanning Node.js/Python

Data Processing Pipelines

• Node.js collectors → Python processors
• ML model serving from Python to Node.js
• Real-time analytics and reporting
• ETL pipeline coordination

Hybrid Applications

• Node.js frontend services ↔ Python AI/ML backends
• Chat applications with Python NLP
• IoT data processing with Python analytics
• Financial services with Python quantitative analysis

🆚 Why Node.js ↔ Python IPC?

| Traditional Approach | IPC Framework | |---------------------|---------------| | ❌ HTTP overhead | ✅ Direct TCP sockets | | ❌ Manual serialization | ✅ Automatic message handling | | ❌ No pub/sub | ✅ Built-in notifications | | ❌ Complex error handling | ✅ Automatic retries | | ❌ No type safety | ✅ Working implementation |

🔗 Related Packages

• Python Server: ipc-framework (v1.1.0+ required)
• Working Client: lib/nodejs-ipc-client.js

📄 Package Status

• ❌ NPM Package: @ifesol/[email protected] - BROKEN, AVOID
• ✅ Working Solution: Direct implementation in this repository
• ✅ Python Server: [email protected] - WORKING PERFECTLY

📄 License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.

🤝 Contributing

Contributions welcome! The focus is on fixing the fundamental package issues and providing a reliable Node.js ↔ Python IPC solution.

Use the working implementation! 🚀 The direct TCP client provides reliable Node.js ↔ Python communication without the NPM package issues.