SnapWS

Production-ready WebSockets, minus the boilerplate.

SnapWS is a zero-dependency, thread-safe WebSocket library for Go. It abstracts away the complexity of connection management, rooms, and protocol compliance so you can focus purely on your application logic.

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⚡️ Why SnapWS?

Most Go WebSocket implementations force you to manually handle the "boring stuff": Ping/Pong, thread-safety locks, broadcasting logic, and connection state management.

SnapWS handles it all for you.

• Zero Dependencies: Written entirely with the Go standard library. No bloat.
• Developer Experience: Intuitive API for Rooms and Direct Messaging out of the box.
• Safety First: Concurrent and thread-safe design.
• Standards Compliant: Passes the Autobahn Testsuite.

---

✨ Features

Feature	Description
Room Management	Built-in support for joining, leaving, and broadcasting to rooms.
Connection Manager	Easily handle 1:1 communication and direct messages between clients.
Rate Limiter	Protect your server from flood attacks with configurable limits.
Message Batching	Optional batching to reduce syscall overhead under load. (for more info)
Auto-KeepAlive	Automatic handling of Ping/Pong and Close frames.
Middleware Support	Hooks for Connect/Disconnect events to integrate custom logic.
Generics	Type-safe implementation using Go 1.18+ generics.

---

API Reference

API Reference

Examples

Examples

• Simple echo
• Room based chat
• Direct messages (1:1 chat)
• File streaming
• Message batching

🚀 Getting Started

Install

go get github.com/Atheer-Ganayem/SnapWS

Basic room-based chat server example

This is a dummy example. For real world usage you would need at least validation and probably authentication.

package main

import (
	"context"
	"fmt"
	"net/http"

	snapws "github.com/Atheer-Ganayem/SnapWS"
)

var roomManager *snapws.RoomManager[string]

func main() {
	roomManager = snapws.NewRoomManager[string](nil)
	defer roomManager.Shutdown()

	http.HandleFunc("/", handler)

	fmt.Println("Server listening on port 8080")
	http.ListenAndServe(":8080", nil)
}

func handler(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
	roomQuery := r.URL.Query().Get("room")
	name := r.URL.Query().Get("name")

	conn, room, err := roomManager.Connect(w, r, roomQuery, name)
	if err != nil {
		return
	}
	defer conn.Close()

	for {
		msg, err := conn.ReadString()
		if snapws.IsFatalErr(err) {
			return // Connection closed
		} else if err != nil {
			fmt.Println("Non-fatal error:", err)
			continue
		}

		_, err = room.BroadcastString(context.TODO(), msg)
		if err != nil {
			fmt.Println("broadcasting error:", err)
		}
	}
}

Benchmark

For the benchmark i used lesismal/go-websocket-benchmark

20250809 16:38.55.590 [Connections] Report

Framework	TPS	Min	Avg	Max	TP50	TP75	TP90	TP95	TP99	Used	Total	Success	Failed	Concurrency
snapws	28684	30ns	55.99ms	346.35ms	50ns	70ns	275.47ms	298.87ms	336.63ms	348.62ms	10000	10000	0	2000
fasthttp	28642	40ns	58.34ms	347.25ms	60ns	101ns	290.28ms	306.14ms	329.82ms	349.14ms	10000	10000	0	2000
gobwas	29390	40ns	57.45ms	336.80ms	60ns	90ns	291.22ms	305.66ms	329.38ms	340.25ms	10000	10000	0	2000
gorilla	30774	30ns	54.98ms	324.65ms	60ns	71ns	270.29ms	289.05ms	318.33ms	324.94ms	10000	10000	0	2000
gws	31822	30ns	53.05ms	312.51ms	40ns	60ns	263.19ms	280.10ms	307.31ms	314.25ms	10000	10000	0	2000
gws_std	29149	30ns	57.51ms	341.75ms	50ns	70ns	282.57ms	302.46ms	333.35ms	343.06ms	10000	10000	0	2000
nbio_blocking	31467	30ns	51.78ms	316.16ms	60ns	90ns	256.40ms	273.12ms	297.19ms	317.79ms	10000	10000	0	2000
nbio_mixed	31634	30ns	52.15ms	314.56ms	40ns	60ns	254.83ms	276.40ms	309.25ms	316.11ms	10000	10000	0	2000
nbio_nonblocking	31450	30ns	53.50ms	315.71ms	50ns	70ns	265.12ms	291.28ms	311.19ms	317.96ms	10000	10000	0	2000
nbio_std	31475	30ns	53.96ms	315.56ms	51ns	70ns	268.46ms	291.03ms	309.30ms	317.71ms	10000	10000	0	2000
nettyws	28249	30ns	60.69ms	353.68ms	60ns	71ns	298.53ms	320.95ms	343.66ms	353.99ms	10000	10000	0	2000
nhooyr	27858	40ns	60.12ms	356.48ms	61ns	150ns	296.83ms	314.80ms	342.78ms	358.95ms	10000	10000	0	2000
quickws	30345	30ns	55.77ms	324.83ms	50ns	70ns	274.96ms	291.11ms	319.53ms	329.54ms	10000	10000	0	2000
greatws	31196	30ns	54.83ms	316.69ms	60ns	80ns	271.19ms	287.38ms	309.14ms	320.55ms	10000	10000	0	2000
greatws_event	31293	30ns	54.57ms	316.67ms	60ns	100ns	269.73ms	285.75ms	308.87ms	319.56ms	10000	10000	0	2000

20250809 16:38.55.603 [BenchEcho] Report

Framework	TPS	EER	Min	Avg	Max	TP50	TP75	TP90	TP95	TP99	Used	Total	Success	Failed	Conns	Concurrency	Payload	CPU Min	CPU Avg	CPU Max	MEM Min	MEM Avg	MEM Max
snapws	236363	343.02	36.54us	42.18ms	155.55ms	40.15ms	44.80ms	51.95ms	54.03ms	60.17ms	8.46s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	492.55	689.07	721.93	278.23M	279.79M	282.48M
fasthttp	239613	377.94	31.85us	41.61ms	170.61ms	39.14ms	45.88ms	51.33ms	54.83ms	68.28ms	8.35s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	378.65	634.00	685.17	255.04M	263.28M	272.17M
gobwas	185234	202.44	42.28us	53.84ms	313.39ms	48.59ms	56.89ms	68.78ms	78.44ms	163.85ms	10.80s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	884.37	914.99	938.72	373.06M	373.92M	374.44M
gorilla	237741	368.23	31.83us	41.94ms	133.16ms	39.40ms	46.09ms	51.82ms	54.22ms	68.08ms	8.41s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	435.74	645.64	690.66	255.05M	263.41M	272.30M
gws	230658	349.94	32.61us	43.21ms	149.39ms	40.68ms	48.10ms	54.27ms	58.61ms	68.74ms	8.67s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	547.45	659.13	703.63	180.92M	195.75M	201.79M
gws_std	247967	376.79	30.24us	40.19ms	138.11ms	37.92ms	42.49ms	50.13ms	52.13ms	63.86ms	8.07s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	615.85	658.10	678.29	157.96M	181.97M	192.70M
nbio_blocking	245887	363.56	28.45us	40.52ms	143.64ms	38.32ms	42.78ms	50.39ms	52.63ms	61.22ms	8.13s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	666.77	676.33	685.51	172.87M	185.99M	194.12M
nbio_mixed	239852	382.37	27.60us	41.55ms	119.88ms	39.53ms	45.62ms	51.43ms	54.29ms	61.11ms	8.34s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	366.83	627.27	683.03	383.18M	439.26M	459.18M
nbio_nonblocking	222046	293.09	42.97us	44.92ms	169.98ms	42.77ms	49.27ms	56.72ms	61.13ms	71.59ms	9.01s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	745.24	757.62	767.76	59.64M	64.55M	67.52M
nbio_std	250083	373.14	31.71us	39.82ms	124.51ms	37.77ms	42.48ms	49.47ms	51.44ms	57.87ms	8.00s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	663.82	670.21	678.70	174.72M	178.93M	181.09M
nettyws	246737	370.00	24.45us	40.40ms	115.49ms	38.36ms	42.78ms	50.24ms	52.10ms	57.40ms	8.11s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	655.79	666.85	677.53	162.61M	163.68M	165.86M
nhooyr	194207	241.66	42.80us	51.35ms	173.62ms	49.38ms	55.01ms	61.00ms	63.37ms	71.74ms	10.30s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	471.50	803.63	848.54	365.11M	367.61M	370.11M
quickws	252792	388.74	29.61us	39.41ms	131.88ms	37.58ms	42.00ms	48.83ms	50.58ms	54.18ms	7.91s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	637.78	650.29	670.81	127.99M	129.62M	132.24M
greatws	232138	338.37	47.61us	42.96ms	120.72ms	41.19ms	46.60ms	53.14ms	55.58ms	61.57ms	8.62s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	593.87	686.06	705.71	53.09M	55.75M	57.70M
greatws_event	240881	386.32	42.47us	41.40ms	115.71ms	39.55ms	44.38ms	51.01ms	53.14ms	57.78ms	8.30s	2000000	2000000	0	10000	10000	1024	346.84	623.52	672.67	48.77M	52.11M	53.27M

20250809 16:38.55.610 [BenchRate] Report

Framework	Duration	EchoEER	Packet Sent	Bytes Sent	Packet Recv	Bytes Recv	Conns	SendRate	Payload	CPU Min	CPU Avg	CPU Max	MEM Min	MEM Avg	MEM Max
snapws	10.00s	686.77	5709440	5.44G	5395180	5.15G	10000	200	1024	492.55	785.58	891.36	278.23M	281.49M	282.98M
fasthttp	10.00s	755.80	5997330	5.72G	5696392	5.43G	10000	200	1024	378.65	753.69	871.76	255.04M	282.46M	318.98M
gobwas	10.00s	381.06	3899360	3.72G	3547509	3.38G	10000	200	1024	554.21	930.96	1142.24	373.06M	380.17M	416.00M
gorilla	10.00s	729.47	5797780	5.53G	5460790	5.21G	10000	200	1024	435.74	748.59	860.77	255.05M	274.74M	286.30M
gws	10.00s	707.68	5573440	5.32G	5261550	5.02G	10000	200	1024	491.85	743.49	867.73	180.92M	210.12M	233.69M
gws_std	10.00s	738.69	5731410	5.47G	5399665	5.15G	10000	200	1024	241.92	730.98	966.15	157.96M	190.84M	201.57M
nbio_blocking	10.00s	714.49	5648280	5.39G	5313563	5.07G	10000	200	1024	238.71	743.69	954.78	172.87M	192.14M	196.99M
nbio_mixed	10.00s	724.91	5730050	5.46G	5399240	5.15G	10000	200	1024	366.83	744.81	861.81	383.18M	505.80M	579.18M
nbio_nonblocking	10.00s	649.80	5471200	5.22G	5148591	4.91G	10000	200	1024	294.85	792.33	1012.94	59.64M	98.42M	198.98M
nbio_std	10.00s	710.06	5559300	5.30G	5224786	4.98G	10000	200	1024	288.92	735.82	961.67	174.72M	187.30M	196.22M
nettyws	10.00s	731.41	5795280	5.53G	5485818	5.23G	10000	200	1024	214.93	750.04	1009.48	162.61M	169.25M	174.23M
nhooyr	10.00s	486.79	4862030	4.64G	4529391	4.32G	10000	200	1024	471.50	930.46	1095.54	365.11M	368.99M	370.61M
quickws	10.00s	723.30	5760040	5.49G	5446060	5.19G	10000	200	1024	354.88	752.95	942.73	113.04M	122.09M	132.24M
greatws	10.00s	643.54	5365640	5.12G	5004079	4.77G	10000	200	1024	555.87	777.59	911.84	53.09M	64.16M	75.27M
greatws_event	10.00s	685.13	5614890	5.35G	5254480	5.01G	10000	200	1024	346.84	766.93	899.18	48.77M	51.42M	53.27M