separate chat server from Botkit message pipeline

[shashank-aisera]

Can you keep the chat server separate so developers will have the flexibility to use any other web socket library or more control on sockets management.

Like, i want to have a separate chat server which will communicate to the Botkit server in the same way that happens with Slack and Facebook implementation of Bokit.

[gagan-bansal]

+1 Nice suggestion

[Naktibalda]

Do you want to remove WebSocket code from https://github.com/howdyai/botkit/blob/dev/webchannel/lib/Sockets.js ?

[shashank-saxena]

yes

[gagan-bansal]

Let me put what I have understood. Consider facebook messenger also a websocket server where messenger has exposed API to interact with their web socket server. So in case of separate chat server you have to expose all API to login, connection and messages.

If both chat server and bot server are with you only then there would not be much advantage by making chat server separate, the current architecture is sufficient. But if you have something in mind of scale like firebase or deepstreeam.io then yes separate chat server would be of much use.

@Naktibalda can you explain a little more conceptual architecture of botkit with facebook and with webchannel.

[Naktibalda]

I am not familiar with Facebook messenger integration or with differences between different websocket implementations at all. I am watching webchannel space because it is the only channel I currently use.

My understanding of Botkit architecture is that different "bots" aren't plugins to the core, but parallel implementations with slightly different APIs and some common hooks. Some other integrations expose HTTP endpoints too,

This proposal worries me because it would make Botkit incompatible with a version I use and it would make me care about implementation of websockets, but I am happier to ignore it.

[shashank-saxena]

@Naktibalda

agreed.

Thus, Websocket implementation could be optional those want to use botkit implemented web socket server can use that else those who wants to integrate their own web socket server and push those messages from botkit message pipeline. Just like implementing your own Express server with FB & Slack botkit app.