How to check WebSocket connection status in Python?

Victoria 33 Published: 08/17/2024

How to check WebSocket connection status in Python?

I'm happy to help you with that!

Checking the WebSocket connection status in Python can be done using the websocket-client library. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Prerequisites

Install the websocket-client library by running the following command:
pip install websocket-client

Make sure you have Python 3.x installed on your system.

Step 1: Import necessary libraries and modules

import websocket

import time

Here, we're importing the websocket module, which provides functionality for establishing WebSocket connections, and the time module, which will be used to add a delay in our script.

Step 2: Establish a WebSocket connection

Create a new WebSocket object, specifying the URL of the WebSocket server you want to connect to:

ws = websocket.create_connection("wss://your-websocket-server.com/ws")

Replace "wss://your-websocket-server.com/ws" with the actual URL of your WebSocket server.

Step 3: Send a message and check connection status

Send a test message to the WebSocket server to verify the connection:

ws.send("Hello, WebSocket!")

Then, use the ws.waitping() method to wait for a response from the server. This will give you an idea of whether the connection is established or not.

Here's how to do it:

start_time = time.time()

while True:

try:

ws.send("Hello, WebSocket!")

print(f"Sent message at {time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S', time.localtime())}")

Wait for a response from the server

ws.waitping(timeout=10)

end_time = time.time()

if end_time - start_time > 15: # Set timeout to 15 seconds

print("Connection established!")

break

except websocket.WebSocketTimeoutException:

print("No response received. Connection timed out.")

except Exception as e:

print(f"Error occurred: {str(e)}")

In this script, we send a message and wait for a response from the server. If no response is received within 15 seconds, it means the connection is not established.

Step 4: Close the WebSocket connection

When you're done with your WebSocket interaction, close the connection:

ws.close()

Here's the complete script:

import websocket

import time

ws = websocket.create_connection("wss://your-websocket-server.com/ws")

start_time = time.time()

while True:

try:

ws.send("Hello, WebSocket!")

print(f"Sent message at {time.strftime('%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S', time.localtime())}")

Wait for a response from the server

ws.waitping(timeout=10)

end_time = time.time()

if end_time - start_time > 15: # Set timeout to 15 seconds

print("Connection established!")

break

except websocket.WebSocketTimeoutException:

print("No response received. Connection timed out.")

except Exception as e:

print(f"Error occurred: {str(e)}")

ws.close()

This script establishes a WebSocket connection, sends a message, waits for a response from the server, and then closes the connection.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we've learned how to check the WebSocket connection status in Python using the websocket-client library. By sending a message and waiting for a response from the server, you can determine whether the connection is established or not. This is especially useful when working with real-time applications that require reliable communication over the web.

What is the Python library for WebSockets?

I see you want to know about Python libraries for handling WebSockets! Well, let me tell you that there are a few excellent options out there.

One of the most popular and widely-used libraries is asyncio-websockets. This library provides an implementation of the WebSocket protocol in Python, allowing you to create both clients and servers that can communicate with each other over WebSockets.

Here's what sets asyncio-websockets apart: it's designed specifically for use with Python's built-in asyncio module, which makes it easy to integrate WebSockets into your existing asynchronous programming workflow. This means you can leverage the power of async/await syntax and take advantage of all the benefits that come with using Python's asynchronous I/O model.

With asyncio-websockets, you can create WebSocket connections that allow for real-time communication between clients and servers. You can use this library to build everything from simple chat applications to complex live-updated data feeds.

Another excellent option is autobahn, which is a WebSocket and WAMP (WebSocket-based Alternative to MQTT) client and server implementation in Python. Autobahn provides support for both WebSocket versions 6, 8, and 13, making it a solid choice if you need to communicate with clients that use different WebSocket versions.

One of the key benefits of using autobahn is its built-in support for WAMP, which allows you to add real-time messaging and broadcasting capabilities to your application. Autobahn also provides strong support for Python's asyncio library, making it easy to integrate WebSockets into your existing async codebase.

Last but not least, there's websockets, which is a Python library that provides a simple and straightforward way to work with WebSocket connections in your Python applications. This library is designed specifically for building WebSocket-based servers and clients, making it an excellent choice if you want to focus on creating real-time communication capabilities in your application.

In summary, the Python libraries for handling WebSockets are:

asyncio-websockets: Provides a WebSocket implementation using asyncio and supports both client and server functionality. autobahn: Offers a WebSocket and WAMP (WebSocket-based Alternative to MQTT) client and server implementation in Python with support for multiple WebSocket versions. websockets: A simple library that provides basic WebSocket functionality for building servers and clients.

Each of these libraries has its strengths, so it's worth taking the time to explore each one and decide which best fits your specific use case and application needs!