USAGE:

websocat ws://URL | wss://URL

(simple client)

websocat -s port

(simple server)

websocat [FLAGS] [OPTIONS] <addr1> <addr2>

(advanced mode)

FLAGS:

(some flags are hidden, see --help=long)

-e, --set-environment

Set WEBSOCAT_* environment variables when doing exec:/cmd:/sh-c: Currently it's WEBSOCAT_URI and WEBSOCAT_CLIENT for request URI and client address (if TCP) Beware of ShellShock or similar security problems.

-E, --exit-on-eof

Close a data transfer direction if the other one reached EOF

--jsonrpc

Format messages you type as JSON RPC 2.0 method calls. First word becomes method name, the rest becomes parameters, possibly automatically wrapped in [].

-0, --null-terminated

Use \0 instead of \n for linemode

--no-fixups to discover what is being inserted automatically and read the full manual about Websocat internal workings.

-1, --one-message

Send and/or receive only one message. Use with --no-close and/or -u/-U.

--oneshot

Serve only once. Not to be confused with -1 (--one-message)

--print-ping-rtts

Print measured round-trip-time to stderr after each received WebSocket pong.

-q

Suppress all diagnostic messages, except of startup errors

-s, --server-mode

Simple server mode: specify TCP port or addr:port as single argument

-S, --strict

strict line/message mode: drop too long messages instead of splitting them, drop incomplete lines.

-k, --insecure

Accept invalid certificates and hostnames while connecting to TLS

-u, --unidirectional

Inhibit copying data in one direction

-U, --unidirectional-reverse

Inhibit copying data in the other direction (or maybe in both directions if combined with -u)

-v

Increase verbosity level to info or further

-b, --binary

Send message to WebSockets as binary messages

-n, --no-close

Don't send Close message to websocket on EOF

-t, --text

Send message to WebSockets as text messages

--base64

Encode incoming binary WebSocket messages in one-line Base64 If `--binary-prefix` (see `--help=full`) is set, outgoing WebSocket messages that start with the prefix are decoded from base64 prior to sending.

OPTIONS:

(some options are hidden, see --help=long)

--socks5 <auto_socks5>

Use specified address:port as a SOCKS5 proxy. Example: --socks5 127.0.0.1:9050

--basic-auth <basic_auth>

Add `Authorization: Basic` HTTP request header with this base64-encoded parameter. Also available as `WEBSOCAT_BASIC_AUTH` environment variable

--basic-auth-file <basic_auth_file>

Add `Authorization: Basic` HTTP request header base64-encoded content of the specified file

-B, --buffer-size <buffer_size>

Maximum message size, in bytes [default: 65536]

--close-reason <close_reason>

Close connection with a reason message. This option only takes effect if --close-status-code option is provided as well.

--close-status-code <close_status_code>

Close connection with a status code.

-H, --header <custom_headers>...

Add custom HTTP header to websocket client request. Separate header name and value with a colon and optionally a single space. Can be used multiple times. Note that single -H may eat multiple further arguments, leading to confusing errors. Specify headers at the end or with equal sign like -H='X: y'.

--server-header <custom_reply_headers>...

Add custom HTTP header to websocket upgrade reply. Separate header name and value with a colon and optionally a single space. Can be used multiple times. Note that single -H may eat multiple further arguments, leading to confusing errors.

--header-to-env <headers_to_env>...

Forward specified incoming request header to H_* environment variable for `exec:`-like specifiers.

-h, --help <help>

See the help. --help=short is the list of easy options and address types --help=long lists all options and types (see [A] markers) --help=doc also shows longer description and examples.

--max-messages <max_messages>

Maximum number of messages to copy in one direction.

--max-messages-rev <max_messages_rev>

Maximum number of messages to copy in the other direction.

--conncap <max_parallel_conns>

Maximum number of simultaneous connections for listening mode

--origin <origin>

Add Origin HTTP header to websocket client request

--pkcs12-der <pkcs12_der>

Pkcs12 archive needed to accept SSL connections, certificate and key. A command to output it: openssl pkcs12 -export -out output.pkcs12 -inkey key.pem -in cert.pem Use with -s (--server-mode) option or with manually specified TLS overlays. See moreexamples.md for more info.

--pkcs12-passwd <pkcs12_passwd>

Password for --pkcs12-der pkcs12 archive. Required on Mac.

-p, --preamble <preamble>...

Prepend copied data with a specified string. Can be specified multiple times.

-P, --preamble-reverse <preamble_reverse>...

Prepend copied data with a specified string (reverse direction). Can be specified multiple times.

--restrict-uri <restrict_uri>

When serving a websocket, only accept the given URI, like `/ws` This liberates other URIs for things like serving static files or proxying.

-F, --static-file <serve_static_files>...

Serve a named static file for non-websocket connections. Argument syntax: <URI>:<Content-Type>:<file-path> Argument example: /index.html:text/html:index.html Directories are not and will not be supported for security reasons. Can be specified multiple times. Recommended to specify them at the end or with equal sign like `-F=...`, otherwise this option may eat positional arguments

--ua <useragent>

Set `User-Agent` request header to this value. Similar to setting it with `-H`.

--protocol <websocket_protocol>

Specify this Sec-WebSocket-Protocol: header when connecting

--server-protocol <websocket_reply_protocol>

Force this Sec-WebSocket-Protocol: header when accepting a connection

--websocket-version <websocket_version>

Override the Sec-WebSocket-Version value

--ping-interval <ws_ping_interval>

Send WebSocket pings each this number of seconds

--ping-timeout <ws_ping_timeout>

Drop WebSocket connection if Pong message not received for this number of seconds

ARGS:

<addr1>

In simple mode, WebSocket URL to connect. In advanced mode first address (there are many kinds of addresses) to use. See --help=types for info about address types. If this is an address for listening, it will try serving multiple connections.

<addr2>

In advanced mode, second address to connect. If this is an address for listening, it will accept only one connection.

Basic examples:

Command-line websocket client:

websocat ws://ws.vi-server.org/mirror/

WebSocket server

websocat -s 8080

WebSocket-to-TCP proxy:

websocat --binary ws-l:127.0.0.1:8080 tcp:127.0.0.1:5678

Partial list of address types:

ws://

Insecure (ws://) WebSocket client. Argument is host and URL.

wss://

Secure (wss://) WebSocket client. Argument is host and URL.

ws-listen:

WebSocket server. Argument is host and port to listen.

wss-listen:

Listen for secure WebSocket connections on a TCP port

tcp:

Connect to specified TCP host and port. Argument is a socket address.

tcp-listen:

Listen TCP port on specified address.

ssl-listen:

Listen for SSL connections on a TCP port

sh-c:

Start specified command line using `sh -c` (even on Windows)

cmd:

Start specified command line using `sh -c` or `cmd /C` (depending on platform)

readfile:

Synchronously read a file. Argument is a file path.

writefile:

Synchronously truncate and write a file.

appendfile:

Synchronously append a file.

udp:

Send and receive packets to specified UDP socket, from random UDP port

udp-listen:

Bind an UDP socket to specified host:port, receive packet

-

Read input from console, print to console. Uses threaded implementation even on UNIX unless requested by `--async-stdio` CLI option.

mirror:

Simply copy output to input. No arguments needed.

literalreply:

Reply with a specified string for each input packet.

literal:

Output a string, discard input.

random:

Generate random bytes when being read from, discard written bytes.

Partial list of overlays:

broadcast:

Reuse this connection for serving multiple clients, sending replies to all clients.

autoreconnect:

Re-establish underlying connection on any error or EOF

foreachmsg:

Execute something for each incoming message.

log:

Log each buffer as it pass though the underlying connector.

See more address types with the --help=long option. See short examples and --dump-spec names for most address types and overlays with --help=doc option