Direct Sockets API

Category: Isolated Web Apps-specific API
Type: New or changed feature
Status: Enabled by default (Chrome 131)
Intent stage: Start prototyping

Breaking change: No
Enterprise impact: None
Chromium flag: #enable-direct-sockets-web-api
Spec maturity: Incubation
Web Platform Tests: Yes

WPT details: These tests require a specific --isolated-context-origins flag to be tested in WPTs, so they're run as a part of a virtual suite and are not reflected on wpt.fyi.

Summary

Allows Isolated Web Apps to establish direct transmission control protocol (TCP) and user datagram protocol (UDP) communications with network devices and systems as well as listen to and accept incoming connections.

Motivation

Many network devices use their own protocols over TCP or UDP, instead of using HTTPS. Like WebUSB, WebMIDI and WebBluetooth, this API allows web apps to communicate with local devices and information systems.

Standards & signals

Specification: https://wicg.github.io/direct-sockets
Firefox: Negative
Safari: No signal
Web developers: Positive — Numerous potential use cases have been suggested.
Tracking bug: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=909927

Ecosystem

Web Platform Tests: https://wpt.fyi/results/?q=direct-sockets-api
Chrome Platform Showcase: https://chrome-platform-showcase.paulkinlan-ea.deno.net/features
GenDN reference: https://gendn.paulkinlan-ea.deno.net/features
chrome.dev demos search: https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Achrome.dev+Direct%20Sockets%20API
MDN Web Docs: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/search?q=Direct%20Sockets%20API
Baseline status: https://webstatus.dev/?q=Direct%20Sockets%20API

Samples: https://github.com/GoogleChromeLabs/telnet-client

Explainers: https://github.com/WICG/direct-sockets/blob/main/docs/explainer.md

View on chromestatus.com