feat(websocket): Phase 1 — replace SSE notification count with WebSocket

Add a thin in-memory pubsub broker and a SharedWorker-based WebSocket
client to deliver real-time notification count updates. This replaces
the SSE path for notification-count events with a persistent WebSocket
connection shared across all tabs.

New files:
- services/pubsub/broker.go: fan-out pubsub broker (DefaultBroker singleton)
- services/websocket/notifier.go: polls notification counts, publishes to broker
- routers/web/websocket/websocket.go: /-/ws endpoint, per-user topic subscription
- web_src/js/features/websocket.sharedworker.ts: SharedWorker with exponential
  backoff reconnect (50ms initial, 10s max, reconnect on close and error)

Modified files:
- routers/init.go: register websocket_service.Init()
- routers/web/web.go: add GET /-/ws route
- services/context/response.go: add Hijack() to forward http.Hijacker
  so coder/websocket can upgrade the connection
- web_src/js/features/notification.ts: port from SSE SharedWorker to WS SharedWorker
- webpack.config.ts: add websocket.sharedworker entry point

Part of RFC #36942.

routers/init.go

@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/task"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/uinotification"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/webhook"
+	websocket_service "code.gitea.io/gitea/services/websocket"
 )
 
 func mustInit(fn func() error) {
@@ -160,6 +161,7 @@ func InitWebInstalled(ctx context.Context) {
 	mustInit(task.Init)
 	mustInit(repo_migrations.Init)
 	eventsource.GetManager().Init()
+	mustInit(websocket_service.Init)
 	mustInitCtx(ctx, mailer_incoming.Init)
 
 	mustInitCtx(ctx, syncAppConfForGit)

routers/web/web.go

@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import (
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/routers/web/user"
 	user_setting "code.gitea.io/gitea/routers/web/user/setting"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/routers/web/user/setting/security"
+	gitea_websocket "code.gitea.io/gitea/routers/web/websocket"
 	auth_service "code.gitea.io/gitea/services/auth"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/context"
 	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/forms"
@@ -588,6 +589,7 @@ func registerWebRoutes(m *web.Router, webAuth *AuthMiddleware) {
 	}, reqSignOut)
 
 	m.Any("/user/events", routing.MarkLongPolling, events.Events)
+	m.Get("/-/ws", gitea_websocket.Serve)
 
 	m.Group("/login/oauth", func() {
 		m.Group("", func() {

routers/web/websocket/websocket.go

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+// Copyright 2024 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package websocket
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/context"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/pubsub"
+
+	gitea_ws "github.com/coder/websocket"
+	"github.com/coder/websocket/wsjson"
+)
+
+// Serve handles WebSocket upgrade and event delivery for the signed-in user.
+func Serve(ctx *context.Context) {
+	if !ctx.IsSigned {
+		ctx.Status(401)
+		return
+	}
+
+	conn, err := gitea_ws.Accept(ctx.Resp, ctx.Req, &gitea_ws.AcceptOptions{
+		InsecureSkipVerify: false,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Error("websocket: accept failed: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	defer conn.CloseNow() //nolint:errcheck
+
+	topic := fmt.Sprintf("user-%d", ctx.Doer.ID)
+	ch, cancel := pubsub.DefaultBroker.Subscribe(topic)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	wsCtx := ctx.Req.Context()
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-wsCtx.Done():
+			return
+		case msg, ok := <-ch:
+			if !ok {
+				return
+			}
+			if err := wsjson.Write(wsCtx, conn, json.RawMessage(msg)); err != nil {
+				log.Trace("websocket: write failed: %v", err)
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}

services/context/response.go

@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 package context
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
+	"net"
 	"net/http"
 
 	web_types "code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/web/types"
@@ -67,6 +69,15 @@ func (r *Response) WriteHeader(statusCode int) {
 	}
 }
 
+// Hijack implements http.Hijacker by forwarding to the underlying ResponseWriter.
+// This is required for WebSocket upgrades.
+func (r *Response) Hijack() (net.Conn, *bufio.ReadWriter, error) {
+	if h, ok := r.ResponseWriter.(http.Hijacker); ok {
+		return h.Hijack()
+	}
+	return nil, nil, http.ErrNotSupported
+}
+
 // Flush flushes cached data
 func (r *Response) Flush() {
 	if f, ok := r.ResponseWriter.(http.Flusher); ok {

services/pubsub/broker.go

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+// Copyright 2024 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package pubsub
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+)
+
+// Broker is a simple in-memory pub/sub broker.
+// It supports fan-out: one Publish call delivers the message to all active subscribers.
+type Broker struct {
+	mu   sync.RWMutex
+	subs map[string][]chan []byte
+}
+
+// DefaultBroker is the global singleton used by both routers and notifiers.
+var DefaultBroker = NewBroker()
+
+// NewBroker creates a new in-memory Broker.
+func NewBroker() *Broker {
+	return &Broker{
+		subs: make(map[string][]chan []byte),
+	}
+}
+
+// Subscribe returns a channel that receives messages published to topic.
+// Call the returned cancel function to unsubscribe.
+func (b *Broker) Subscribe(topic string) (<-chan []byte, func()) {
+	ch := make(chan []byte, 8)
+
+	b.mu.Lock()
+	b.subs[topic] = append(b.subs[topic], ch)
+	b.mu.Unlock()
+
+	cancel := func() {
+		b.mu.Lock()
+		defer b.mu.Unlock()
+		subs := b.subs[topic]
+		for i, sub := range subs {
+			if sub == ch {
+				b.subs[topic] = append(subs[:i], subs[i+1:]...)
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		close(ch)
+	}
+	return ch, cancel
+}
+
+// Publish sends msg to all subscribers of topic.
+// Non-blocking: slow subscribers are skipped.
+func (b *Broker) Publish(topic string, msg []byte) {
+	b.mu.RLock()
+	subs := b.subs[topic]
+	b.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	for _, ch := range subs {
+		select {
+		case ch <- msg:
+		default:
+			// subscriber too slow — skip
+		}
+	}
+}

services/websocket/notifier.go

@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+// Copyright 2024 The Gitea Authors. All rights reserved.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+package websocket
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"time"
+
+	activities_model "code.gitea.io/gitea/models/activities"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/graceful"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/json"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/log"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/process"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/setting"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/modules/timeutil"
+	"code.gitea.io/gitea/services/pubsub"
+)
+
+type notificationCountEvent struct {
+	Type  string `json:"type"`
+	Count int64  `json:"count"`
+}
+
+func userTopic(userID int64) string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("user-%d", userID)
+}
+
+// Init starts the background goroutine that polls notification counts
+// and pushes updates to connected WebSocket clients.
+func Init() error {
+	go graceful.GetManager().RunWithShutdownContext(run)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func run(ctx context.Context) {
+	ctx, _, finished := process.GetManager().AddTypedContext(ctx, "Service: WebSocket", process.SystemProcessType, true)
+	defer finished()
+
+	if setting.UI.Notification.EventSourceUpdateTime <= 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	then := timeutil.TimeStampNow().Add(-2)
+	timer := time.NewTicker(setting.UI.Notification.EventSourceUpdateTime)
+	defer timer.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-timer.C:
+			now := timeutil.TimeStampNow().Add(-2)
+
+			uidCounts, err := activities_model.GetUIDsAndNotificationCounts(ctx, then, now)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Error("websocket: GetUIDsAndNotificationCounts: %v", err)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			for _, uidCount := range uidCounts {
+				msg, err := json.Marshal(notificationCountEvent{
+					Type:  "notification-count",
+					Count: uidCount.Count,
+				})
+				if err != nil {
+					continue
+				}
+				pubsub.DefaultBroker.Publish(userTopic(uidCount.UserID), msg)
+			}
+
+			then = now
+		}
+	}
+}

web_src/js/features/notification.ts

@@ -5,12 +5,12 @@ import {logoutFromWorker} from '../modules/worker.ts';
 const {appSubUrl, notificationSettings, assetVersionEncoded} = window.config;
 let notificationSequenceNumber = 0;
 
-async function receiveUpdateCount(event: MessageEvent<{type: string, data: string}>) {
+async function receiveUpdateCount(event: MessageEvent<{type: string, count: number}>) {
   try {
-    const data = JSON.parse(event.data.data);
+    const {count} = event.data;
-    for (const count of document.querySelectorAll('.notification_count')) {
+    for (const el of document.querySelectorAll('.notification_count')) {
-      count.classList.toggle('tw-hidden', data.Count === 0);
+      el.classList.toggle('tw-hidden', count === 0);
-      count.textContent = `${data.Count}`;
+      el.textContent = `${count}`;
     }
     await updateNotificationTable();
   } catch (error) {
@@ -21,55 +21,38 @@ async function receiveUpdateCount(event: MessageEvent<{type: string, data: strin
 export function initNotificationCount() {
   if (!document.querySelector('.notification_count')) return;
 
-  let usingPeriodicPoller = false;
   const startPeriodicPoller = (timeout: number, lastCount?: number) => {
     if (timeout <= 0 || !Number.isFinite(timeout)) return;
-    usingPeriodicPoller = true;
     lastCount = lastCount ?? getCurrentCount();
     setTimeout(async () => {
       await updateNotificationCountWithCallback(startPeriodicPoller, timeout, lastCount);
     }, timeout);
   };
 
-  if (notificationSettings.EventSourceUpdateTime > 0 && window.EventSource && window.SharedWorker) {
+  if (notificationSettings.EventSourceUpdateTime > 0 && window.SharedWorker) {
-    // Try to connect to the event source via the shared worker first
+    // Connect via WebSocket SharedWorker (one connection shared across all tabs)
-    const worker = new SharedWorker(`${window.__webpack_public_path__}js/eventsource.sharedworker.js?v=${assetVersionEncoded}`, 'notification-worker');
+    const wsUrl = `${window.location.origin}${appSubUrl}/-/ws`.replace(/^http/, 'ws');
+    const worker = new SharedWorker(`${window.__webpack_public_path__}js/websocket.sharedworker.js?v=${assetVersionEncoded}`, 'notification-worker');
     worker.addEventListener('error', (event) => {
       console.error('worker error', event);
     });
     worker.port.addEventListener('messageerror', () => {
       console.error('unable to deserialize message');
     });
-    worker.port.postMessage({
+    worker.port.postMessage({type: 'start', url: wsUrl});
-      type: 'start',
+    worker.port.addEventListener('message', (event: MessageEvent<{type: string, count: number, message?: string}>) => {
-      url: `${window.location.origin}${appSubUrl}/user/events`,
-    });
-    worker.port.addEventListener('message', (event: MessageEvent<{type: string, data: string}>) => {
       if (!event.data || !event.data.type) {
         console.error('unknown worker message event', event);
         return;
       }
       if (event.data.type === 'notification-count') {
         receiveUpdateCount(event); // no await
-      } else if (event.data.type === 'no-event-source') {
-        // browser doesn't support EventSource, falling back to periodic poller
-        if (!usingPeriodicPoller) startPeriodicPoller(notificationSettings.MinTimeout);
       } else if (event.data.type === 'error') {
         console.error('worker port event error', event.data);
       } else if (event.data.type === 'logout') {
-        if (event.data.data !== 'here') {
+        worker.port.postMessage({type: 'close'});
-          return;
-        }
-        worker.port.postMessage({
-          type: 'close',
-        });
         worker.port.close();
         logoutFromWorker();
-      } else if (event.data.type === 'close') {
-        worker.port.postMessage({
-          type: 'close',
-        });
-        worker.port.close();
       }
     });
     worker.port.addEventListener('error', (e) => {
@@ -77,9 +60,7 @@ export function initNotificationCount() {
     });
     worker.port.start();
     window.addEventListener('beforeunload', () => {
-      worker.port.postMessage({
+      worker.port.postMessage({type: 'close'});
-        type: 'close',
-      });
       worker.port.close();
     });
 

web_src/js/features/websocket.sharedworker.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,144 @@
+// One WebSocket connection per URL, shared across all tabs via SharedWorker.
+// Messages from the server are JSON objects broadcast to all connected ports.
+export {}; // make this a module to avoid global scope conflicts with other sharedworker files
+
+const RECONNECT_DELAY_INITIAL = 50;
+const RECONNECT_DELAY_MAX = 10000;
+
+class WsSource {
+  url: string;
+  ws: WebSocket | null;
+  clients: MessagePort[];
+  reconnectTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null;
+  reconnectDelay: number;
+
+  constructor(url: string) {
+    this.url = url;
+    this.ws = null;
+    this.clients = [];
+    this.reconnectTimer = null;
+    this.reconnectDelay = RECONNECT_DELAY_INITIAL;
+    this.connect();
+  }
+
+  connect() {
+    this.ws = new WebSocket(this.url);
+
+    this.ws.addEventListener('open', () => {
+      this.reconnectDelay = RECONNECT_DELAY_INITIAL;
+      this.broadcast({type: 'status', message: `connected to ${this.url}`});
+    });
+
+    this.ws.addEventListener('message', (event: MessageEvent<string>) => {
+      try {
+        const msg = JSON.parse(event.data);
+        this.broadcast(msg);
+      } catch {
+        // ignore malformed JSON
+      }
+    });
+
+    this.ws.addEventListener('close', () => {
+      this.ws = null;
+      this.scheduleReconnect();
+    });
+
+    this.ws.addEventListener('error', () => {
+      this.broadcast({type: 'error', message: 'websocket error'});
+      this.ws = null;
+      this.scheduleReconnect();
+    });
+  }
+
+  scheduleReconnect() {
+    if (this.clients.length === 0 || this.reconnectTimer !== null) return;
+    this.reconnectDelay = Math.min(this.reconnectDelay * 2, RECONNECT_DELAY_MAX);
+    this.reconnectTimer = setTimeout(() => {
+      this.reconnectTimer = null;
+      this.connect();
+    }, this.reconnectDelay);
+  }
+
+  register(port: MessagePort) {
+    if (this.clients.includes(port)) return;
+    this.clients.push(port);
+    port.postMessage({type: 'status', message: `registered to ${this.url}`});
+  }
+
+  deregister(port: MessagePort): number {
+    const idx = this.clients.indexOf(port);
+    if (idx >= 0) this.clients.splice(idx, 1);
+    return this.clients.length;
+  }
+
+  close() {
+    if (this.reconnectTimer !== null) {
+      clearTimeout(this.reconnectTimer);
+      this.reconnectTimer = null;
+    }
+    this.ws?.close();
+    this.ws = null;
+  }
+
+  broadcast(msg: unknown) {
+    for (const port of this.clients) {
+      port.postMessage(msg);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+const sourcesByUrl = new Map<string, WsSource | null>();
+const sourcesByPort = new Map<MessagePort, WsSource | null>();
+
+(self as unknown as SharedWorkerGlobalScope).addEventListener('connect', (e: MessageEvent) => {
+  for (const port of e.ports) {
+    port.addEventListener('message', (event: MessageEvent) => {
+      if (event.data.type === 'start') {
+        const {url} = event.data;
+        let source = sourcesByUrl.get(url);
+        if (source) {
+          source.register(port);
+          sourcesByPort.set(port, source);
+          return;
+        }
+        source = sourcesByPort.get(port);
+        if (source) {
+          const count = source.deregister(port);
+          if (count === 0) {
+            source.close();
+            sourcesByUrl.set(source.url, null);
+          }
+        }
+        source = new WsSource(url);
+        source.register(port);
+        sourcesByUrl.set(url, source);
+        sourcesByPort.set(port, source);
+      } else if (event.data.type === 'close') {
+        const source = sourcesByPort.get(port);
+        if (!source) return;
+        const count = source.deregister(port);
+        if (count === 0) {
+          source.close();
+          sourcesByUrl.set(source.url, null);
+          sourcesByPort.set(port, null);
+        }
+      } else if (event.data.type === 'status') {
+        const source = sourcesByPort.get(port);
+        if (!source) {
+          port.postMessage({type: 'status', message: 'not connected'});
+          return;
+        }
+        port.postMessage({
+          type: 'status',
+          message: `url: ${source.url} readyState: ${source.ws?.readyState ?? 'null'}`,
+        });
+      } else {
+        port.postMessage({
+          type: 'error',
+          message: `received but don't know how to handle: ${JSON.stringify(event.data)}`,
+        });
+      }
+    });
+    port.start();
+  }
+});

webpack.config.ts

@@ -79,6 +79,9 @@ export default {
     'eventsource.sharedworker': [
       fileURLToPath(new URL('web_src/js/features/eventsource.sharedworker.ts', import.meta.url)),
     ],
+    'websocket.sharedworker': [
+      fileURLToPath(new URL('web_src/js/features/websocket.sharedworker.ts', import.meta.url)),
+    ],
     ...(!isProduction && {
       devtest: [
         fileURLToPath(new URL('web_src/js/standalone/devtest.ts', import.meta.url)),