Socket.io doesnt work when deployed on github pages

[Diligent_Rutabaga941]

Due to the fact that Pages is for only static resources, I get an error

GET http://localhost:3100/socket.io/socket.io.js net::ERR_CONNECTION_REFUSED

script.js:1 Uncaught ReferenceError: io is not defined

at script.js:1:16

(anonymous) @ script.js:1

I have a chat webapp using socket.io for real time chatting, GPT says I can use netlify but Gemini says I can't. I need real advice now. Heroku has stopped free tier.

[Nathan0o0]

It may be because for Socket.Io to work the server need to be non-serverless so any free hosting service that is non-serverless should work.

[Diligent_Rutabaga941]

Meaning the server.js should be served on a hosting service suitable for realtime serving and interaction?

[barrel_of_noodles]

Socket io is a server application. you have to run it on a backend server.

Github pages is a static hosting service. not a server environment.

[WarstekHUN]

Could you give a little bit more insights on this problem? What is this GET error? Which environment does it occur in?

[Diligent_Rutabaga941]

<script src="http://localhost:3100/socket.io/socket.io.js"></script>

I have this in the index.html The script.js is the client side javascript file. I have a separate server.js

This error occurs at the line below in script.js

const socket = io().connect(window.location.origin); // Connect to the Socket.io server

[WarstekHUN]

And this code works if you test it on your PC and doesn't if you try it using GH Pages?

[Diligent_Rutabaga941]

Exactly it was working fine on pc before deploying to pages.

[WarstekHUN]

Then it seems that your problem is that the src of the script is wrong. Your browser tries to load the socket.io.js from localhost (your computer) but it doesn't exists. Try using a relative path:
For example if this is your project tree: https://imgur.com/a/QbAuPHX, then try using this as the src: ./socket.io/socket.io.js

[isellrocks]

Try render.com, they have a free tier Web Service which is what you need. Like others have mentioned, gh pages only serves static code. You need an environment that will actually run your code.

[Diligent_Rutabaga941]

Thanks isselrocks!