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<()> {
    let config = ServerConfig::builder()
        .with_bind_default(4433)
        .with_certificate(certificate)
        .build();

    let connection = Endpoint::server(config)?
        .accept()
        .await     // Awaits connection
        .await?    // Awaits session request
        .accept()  // Accepts request
        .await?;   // Awaits ready session

    let stream = connection.accept_bi().await?;
    // ...
}

#[tokio::main]
async fn main() -> Result<()> {
    let connection = Endpoint::client(ClientConfig::default())?
        .connect("https://[::1]:4433")
        .await?;

    let stream = connection.open_bi().await?.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 \
  --webtransport-developer-mode \
  --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

Other languages

WTransport has bindings for the following languages:

Elixir: wtransport-elixir

wtransport 0.1.5