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GroupLoop Services

This document provides detailed information about each service in the GroupLoop ecosystem, their purpose, configuration, and dependencies.

Core Services

WebSocket Server (socket-server)

Purpose: Central communication hub that manages device connections and message routing.

Port: 5003 (external) → 5000 (internal)

Key Features: - Device registration and management - Command routing and execution - Real-time message broadcasting - Command registry integration - Health monitoring

Configuration: 

environment:
  - WS_HOST=0.0.0.0
  - WS_PORT=5000
  - PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1

Dependencies: - Loads command definitions from CDN server - Manages device and client WebSocket connections

API Endpoints: - WebSocket connection for devices and clients - Health check at /health

CDN Server (cdn-server)

Purpose: Serves shared JavaScript libraries, firmware files, and command definitions.

Port: 5008 (external) → 5000 (internal)

Key Features: - Static file serving with CORS support - Command registry JSON endpoint - Firmware file distribution - JavaScript library hosting

Endpoints: - /js/<filename> - JavaScript libraries - /firmware/<filename> - Firmware files - /static/commands.json - Command definitions

Dependencies: - None (standalone service)

Client Services

Socket Client (socket-client)

Purpose: Reference web UI for observing device state and sending commands.

Port: 5004 (external) → 5000 (internal)

Key Features: - Real-time device monitoring - Command interface - Device status visualization - WebSocket connection management

Dependencies: - WebSocket Server (for device communication) - CDN Server (for shared libraries)

Configuration: 

environment:
  - WS_DEFAULT_URL=${WS_DEFAULT_URL:-ws://feib.nl:5003}
  - CDN_BASE_URL=${CDN_BASE_URL:-http://cdn.hitloop.feib.nl}

Device Control (device-control)

Purpose: Advanced device control interface with enhanced features.

Port: 5009 (external) → 5000 (internal)

Key Features: - Device management interface - Batch command execution - Device configuration - Advanced monitoring tools

Dependencies: - WebSocket Server (for device communication) - CDN Server (for shared libraries)

Socket Simulator (socket-simulator)

Purpose: Simulates a swarm of virtual devices for load testing and development.

Port: 5005 (external) → 5000 (internal)

Key Features: - Virtual device generation - Realistic sensor data simulation - Load testing capabilities - Development without hardware

Dependencies: - WebSocket Server (for connection) - CDN Server (for shared libraries)

Device Emulator (device-emulator)

Purpose: Mobile-friendly emulator for creating virtual devices.

Port: 5007 (external) → 5000 (internal)

Key Features: - Mobile-optimized interface - Virtual device creation - Touch-based interaction - Device behavior simulation

Dependencies: - WebSocket Server (for connection) - CDN Server (for shared libraries)

Development Services

Documentation (docs)

Purpose: MkDocs-based documentation site with architecture and guides.

Port: 5006 (external) → 5000 (internal)

Key Features: - Material Design theme - Mermaid diagram support - Search functionality - Responsive design

Dependencies: - None (standalone service)

Service Communication Patterns

graph TB
    subgraph "Device Layer"
        DEV[Physical Devices]
        SIM_DEV[Simulated Devices]
        EMU_DEV[Emulated Devices]
    end

    subgraph "Core Services"
        WS[WebSocket Server]
        CDN[CDN Server]
    end

    subgraph "Client Layer"
        CLIENT[Socket Client]
        CONTROL[Device Control]
        SIM[Simulator]
        EMU[Emulator]
    end

    DEV -->|WebSocket| WS
    SIM_DEV -->|WebSocket| WS
    EMU_DEV -->|WebSocket| WS

    WS -->|Commands JSON| CDN
    WS -->|WebSocket| CLIENT
    WS -->|WebSocket| CONTROL
    WS -->|WebSocket| SIM
    WS -->|WebSocket| EMU

    CDN -->|HTTP/JS| CLIENT
    CDN -->|HTTP/JS| CONTROL
    CDN -->|HTTP/JS| SIM
    CDN -->|HTTP/JS| EMU

Environment Variables

Global Configuration

  • WS_DEFAULT_URL: Default WebSocket server URL (default: ws://feib.nl:5003)
  • CDN_BASE_URL: CDN server base URL (default: http://cdn.hitloop.feib.nl)

Service-Specific Configuration

  • WS_HOST: WebSocket server bind address (default: 0.0.0.0)
  • WS_PORT: WebSocket server port (default: 5000)
  • PYTHONUNBUFFERED: Python output buffering (set to 1)

Service Health and Monitoring

Each service provides health endpoints and logging:

  • WebSocket Server: /health endpoint, connection logging
  • CDN Server: Service status in root response
  • Client Services: Built-in connection status monitoring
  • Documentation: Static site, no health checks needed

Scaling Considerations

  • WebSocket Server: Can be scaled horizontally with load balancing
  • CDN Server: Can use CDN providers or multiple instances
  • Client Services: Stateless, easily scalable
  • Device Connections: Limited by WebSocket server capacity