@open-panel/ipc

The typed WebSocket IPC contract between the OpenPanel daemon and its clients (desktop app, CLI): a ws-based server, a client built on the standard WebSocket global, and the zod-validated method contract both sides are checked against.

Scope note. IpcServer is daemon-only plumbing — most third-party consumers building against OpenPanel want @open-panel/plugin-sdk instead. IpcClient and the contract types are useful for anyone writing an alternative client (a second desktop UI, a mobile companion, a script) that talks to a running daemon.

Install

npm install @open-panel/ipc

Subpath exports

This package is split so a browser/webview bundle never pulls in ws:

| Import | Contents | Runtime | | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------ | | @open-panel/ipc | Everything below (server included) — Node only | Node | | @open-panel/ipc/client | IpcClient — built on the global WebSocket, no Node import | Node ≥ 20 or browser | | @open-panel/ipc/server | IpcServer — hosts the contract over ws | Node | | @open-panel/ipc/contract | ipcMethods, OpenPanelClient, request/response/summary schemas | Node or browser | | @open-panel/ipc/wire | The wire-level WireRequest/WireResponse/WireEvent message shapes | Node or browser |

A desktop/webview app should import @open-panel/ipc/client and @open-panel/ipc/contract directly rather than the root entry point.

What's in here

• ipcMethods — every RPC method's params/result zod schemas (listDevices, listProfiles, setActiveProfile, importProfile, …). Every incoming call is validated against this before it reaches a handler.
• OpenPanelClient — the interface both IpcServer's handlers and IpcClient implement; one method per entry in ipcMethods.
• IpcServer — hosts the daemon side over a local WebSocket. start() binds the port and resolves once it's actually held — the bind itself is the single-daemon-instance lock, so a second daemon discovers a running one via EADDRINUSE rather than fighting it for the device.
• IpcClient — round-trips typed requests to the daemon and exposes daemon-pushed events; reconnects automatically if the daemon restarts.
• Summaries & DTOs — ProfileSummary, ActionSummary, PluginSummary, PluginInstallResult and their schemas — the plain DTOs that actually cross the process boundary (never an internal object like a ProfileRepository or DeckDevice).

Usage

Server side (daemon):

import { IpcServer } from "@open-panel/ipc/server";
import type { OpenPanelClient } from "@open-panel/ipc/contract";

const handlers: OpenPanelClient = {
  async listDevices() { return driverRegistry.listDevices(); },
  // ...one method per entry in ipcMethods
};

const server = new IpcServer(handlers, { port: 47912 });
await server.start();

Client side (desktop/CLI):

import { IpcClient } from "@open-panel/ipc/client";

const client = new IpcClient({ url: "ws://127.0.0.1:47912" });
client.connect();

const devices = await client.listDevices();

Related packages

• @open-panel/shared — the OpenPanelEvents map this package's event stream is typed against

License

MIT © OpenPanel contributors