notebook/docs/source/comms.rst
2019-01-29 19:39:36 -05:00

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Comms
=====
*Comms* allow custom messages between the frontend and the kernel. They are used,
for instance, in `ipywidgets <https://ipywidgets.readthedocs.io/en/latest/>`__ to
update widget state.
A comm consists of a pair of objects, in the kernel and the frontend, with an
automatically assigned unique ID. When one side sends a message, a callback on
the other side is triggered with that message data. Either side, the frontend
or kernel, can open or close the comm.
.. seealso::
`Custom Messages <https://jupyter-client.readthedocs.io/en/latest/messaging.html#custom-messages>`__
The messaging specification section on comms
Opening a comm from the kernel
------------------------------
First, the function to accept the comm must be available on the frontend. This
can either be specified in a `requirejs` module, or registered in a registry, for
example when an :doc:`extension <extending/frontend_extensions>` is loaded.
This example shows a frontend comm target registered in a registry:
.. code-block:: javascript
Jupyter.notebook.kernel.comm_manager.register_target('my_comm_target',
function(comm, msg) {
// comm is the frontend comm instance
// msg is the comm_open message, which can carry data
// Register handlers for later messages:
comm.on_msg(function(msg) {...});
comm.on_close(function(msg) {...});
comm.send({'foo': 0});
});
Now that the frontend comm is registered, you can open the comm from the kernel:
.. code-block:: python
from ipykernel.comm import Comm
# Use comm to send a message from the kernel
my_comm = Comm(target_name='my_comm_target', data={'foo': 1})
my_comm.send({'foo': 2})
# Add a callback for received messages.
@my_comm.on_msg
def _recv(msg):
# Use msg['content']['data'] for the data in the message
This example uses the IPython kernel; it's up to each language kernel what API,
if any, it offers for using comms.
Opening a comm from the frontend
--------------------------------
This is very similar to above, but in reverse. First, a comm target must be
registered in the kernel. For instance, this may be done by code displaying
output: it will register a target in the kernel, and then display output
containing Javascript to connect to it.
.. code-block:: python
def target_func(comm, open_msg):
# comm is the kernel Comm instance
# msg is the comm_open message
# Register handler for later messages
@comm.on_msg
def _recv(msg):
# Use msg['content']['data'] for the data in the message
comm.send({'echo': msg['content']['data']})
# Send data to the frontend on creation
comm.send({'foo': 5})
get_ipython().kernel.comm_manager.register_target('my_comm_target', target_func)
This example uses the IPython kernel again; this example will be different in
other kernels that support comms. Refer to the specific language kernel's
documentation for comms support.
And then open the comm from the frontend:
.. code-block:: javascript
const comm = Jupyter.notebook.kernel.comm_manager.new_comm('my_comm_target', {'foo': 6})
// Send data
comm.send({'foo': 7})
// Register a handler
comm.on_msg(function(msg) {
console.log(msg.content.data.foo);
});