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OpenTogetherTube includes a built-in chat system that allows users to communicate while watching videos together.

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Overview

The chat feature provides:
  • Real-time messaging - Messages are instantly delivered to all users in the room
  • User identification - Each message shows the sender’s username
  • Persistent history - Chat messages are stored during the session
  • Auto-scroll - Chat automatically scrolls to show new messages
  • Link support - URLs in messages are automatically detected and clickable
Chat messages are not persisted to the database and are cleared when all users leave the room.

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Using Chat

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Opening the Chat

The chat interface is accessible from the room view:
  1. Click the chat icon (comment bubble) in the bottom-right corner
  2. The chat panel expands to show recent messages
  3. Type your message in the input field
  4. Press Enter to send

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Chat Controls

  • Expand/Collapse - Click the chevron icon to toggle chat visibility
  • Scroll to Bottom - If you’ve scrolled up, click the down arrow to jump to latest messages
  • Close - Click the chevron down icon or click outside the chat to minimize it

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Message Format

Chat messages are sent through the WebSocket connection: 
// Sending a chat message (client → server)
{
  action: "req",
  request: {
    type: "chat",
    text: "Hello everyone!"
  }
}

// Receiving a chat message (server → client)
{
  action: "chat",
  from: {
    id: 42,
    name: "username",
    isYou: false
  },
  text: "Hello everyone!"
}

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Permissions

Chat access is controlled by room permissions:
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chat
boolean
Whether users can send chat messages
By default, all users have chat permission. Room owners and administrators can restrict chat to specific roles:
  • Owner - Full chat access
  • Administrator - Full chat access
  • Moderator - Can be granted or restricted
  • Trusted User - Can be granted or restricted
  • Registered User - Can be granted or restricted
  • Unregistered User - Can be granted or restricted
See the Permissions documentation for details on managing room permissions.

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Chat Features

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Auto-Scroll Behavior

The chat automatically scrolls to show new messages when:
  • A new message arrives
  • The user is already at the bottom of the chat
  • The user clicks the “scroll to bottom” button
Auto-scroll is disabled when the user manually scrolls up to view message history. The chat automatically detects URLs in messages and makes them clickable: 
https://example.com → clickable link
www.example.com → clickable link
Links open in a new tab when clicked.

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Recent Message Highlighting

Messages from the last few seconds are highlighted to show activity:
  • Recent messages (< 5 seconds) have a subtle highlight
  • The highlight fades as messages age
  • Helps users notice new activity

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Rate Limiting

Chat messages are subject to rate limiting to prevent spam:
  • Default limit: 5 messages per 10 seconds per user
  • Exceeding the limit results in a temporary chat ban
  • Rate limits are enforced server-side
Sending messages too quickly will result in an error message and temporary restriction.

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Moderation

Room owners and administrators have moderation capabilities:

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User Permissions

Moderators can:
  • Remove chat permission from specific users
  • Restore chat permission
  • Kick users from the room (removes all permissions)

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Room Settings

Chat can be configured at the room level:
  • Enable/Disable Chat - Toggle chat for the entire room
  • Permission Requirements - Restrict chat to specific user roles
  • Chat History - Clear chat history (client-side only)

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Implementation Details

The chat system is implemented using:
  • WebSocket messages for real-time delivery
  • Vue 3 components for the UI (Chat.vue, ChatMsg.vue)
  • Server-side validation for message content
  • Client-side message queue for display

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Message Validation

The server validates all chat messages: 
// Maximum message length
const MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH = 500;

// Validation rules
- Non-empty messages
- Length ≤ 500 characters
- User has chat permission
- Rate limit not exceeded

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Storage

Chat messages are:
  • ✅ Stored in-memory on the server
  • ✅ Synchronized to all connected clients
  • ❌ Not persisted to database
  • ❌ Cleared when room becomes empty

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Best Practices

Messages over 500 characters are rejected. Keep chat messages brief and readable.
Chat is ideal for coordinating playback, suggesting videos, and social interaction.
Avoid sending messages too quickly. The rate limit is designed to prevent spam while allowing natural conversation.
Room owners can set their own rules. Be respectful and follow the room’s guidelines.

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Troubleshooting

  • Check that you have chat permission in the room
  • Verify your WebSocket connection is active
  • Try refreshing the page
  • Verify you have the chat permission
  • Check if you’ve exceeded the rate limit (wait 10 seconds)
  • Ensure your message is under 500 characters
  • Click the comment bubble icon in the bottom-right
  • Check browser console for JavaScript errors
  • Try hard-refreshing the page (Ctrl+Shift+R)

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API Reference

See the WebSocket Events documentation for complete chat message schemas and examples.

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Next Steps

Permissions

Learn how to manage chat permissions and user roles

WebSocket API

Integrate chat into your own application

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