WTransport

WebTransport protocol, pure-rust, async-friendly.

Introduction

WebTransport is a new protocol being developed to enable low-latency, bidirectional communication between clients and servers over the web. It aims to address the limitations of existing protocols like HTTP and WebSocket by offering a more efficient and flexible transport layer.

Benefits of WebTransport

• :rocket: Low latency: WebTransport is designed to minimize latency, making it suitable for real-time applications such as gaming, video streaming, and collaborative editing.
• :arrows_counterclockwise: Bidirectional communication: WebTransport allows simultaneous data exchange between the client and server, enabling efficient back-and-forth communication without the need for multiple requests.
• :twisted_rightwards_arrows: Multiplexing: With WebTransport, multiple streams can be multiplexed over a single connection, reducing overhead and improving performance.
• :lock: Security: WebTransport benefits from the security features provided by the web platform, including transport encryption and same-origin policy.

Notes

Please be aware that WebTransport is still a draft and not yet standardized. The WTransport library, while functional, is not considered completely production-ready. It should be used with caution and may undergo changes as the WebTransport specification evolves.

Simple API

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<(), Error> {
    let config = ServerConfig::builder()
        .with_bind_address(SocketAddr::new(Ipv6Addr::LOCALHOST.into(), 4433))
        .with_certificate(Certificate::load("cert.pem", "key.pem")?)
        .build();

    let server = Endpoint::server(config)?;

    println!("Waiting for incoming connections...");
    loop {
        let incoming_request = server.accept().await?;

        tokio::spawn(async move {
          println!("Incoming request...");
          let session_request = incoming_request.await?;
          println!("Path requested: {}", session_request.path());
          let connection = session_request.accept().await?;
          
          let stream = connection.accept_bi().await?
          // ...
        });
    }
}

Getting Started

0. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/BiagioFesta/wtransport.git

cd wtransport/

1. Generate TLS Certificate

cargo run --example gencert

This will generate cert.pem and key.pem in the current working directory.

Moreover, the program will also output the fingerprint of the certificate. Something like this:

Certificate generated
Fingerprint: OjyqTe//WoGnvBrgiO37tkOQJyuN1r7hhyBzwX0gotg=

Please take note of the fingerprint, as you will need it to verify the certificate on the client side.

2. Run Example Server

cargo run --example server

3. Run Client on Browser

Latest versions of Google Chrome started supporting some implementations of the protocol.

Since the generated certificate is self-signed, it cannot be directly accepted by the browser at the moment. In order to allow the local certificate, you need to launch Google Chrome with two additional options:

google-chrome \
  --origin-to-force-quic-on=localhost:4433 \
  --ignore-certificate-errors-spki-list=FINGERPRINT

Replace FINGERPRINT with the value obtained in step 1. For example, OjyqTe//WoGnvBrgiO37tkOQJyuN1r7hhyBzwX0gotg=.

4. Connect to the Server

Open the website https://webtransport.day/ on Google Chrome instace. Use the URL: https://localhost:4433, and click on Connect.

Enjoy!

Examples

• https://github.com/BiagioFesta/wtransport-examples
• Local Examples