@cryptforge/key-exchange

Key exchange package for CryptForge SDK. Provides secure key exchange functionality across different environments: browser, Node.js server, and Electron.

Installation

``bash
npm install @cryptforge/key-exchange
`

Usage

This package provides separate entry points for different environments to ensure safe usage without mixing incompatible APIs.

$3

`typescript
import { KeyTransportClient } from "@cryptforge/key-exchange";

const client = new KeyTransportClient("ws://localhost:3001");
const broadcastId = await client.enableBroadcast();
`

$3

`typescript
import { KeyExchangeServer } from "@cryptforge/key-exchange/server";

const server = new KeyExchangeServer();
await server.start();
`

$3

Electron has three separate contexts that must not be mixed:

#### Main Process (Node.js environment)

`typescript
// In your main.js or main.ts
import {} from / your exports / "@cryptforge/key-exchange/electron-main";

// Main process code with access to Node.js and Electron APIs
`

#### Preload Script (Isolated context)

`typescript
// In your preload.js or preload.ts
import {} from / your exports / "@cryptforge/key-exchange/electron-preload";

// Preload script that bridges main and renderer processes
// Use contextBridge to safely expose APIs to renderer
`

#### Renderer Process (Browser-like environment)

`typescript
// In your renderer/app code
import {} from / your exports / "@cryptforge/key-exchange/electron-renderer";

// Renderer process code - browser-like environment
`

Architecture

$3

Each environment has different capabilities and restrictions:

- Browser (/): No Node.js APIs, WebSocket only
- Server (/server): Full Node.js APIs, can use hyperswarm
- Electron Main (/electron-main): Node.js + Electron main process APIs
- Electron Preload (/electron-preload): Limited Node.js APIs in isolated context
- Electron Renderer (/electron-renderer): Browser-like with IPC to main process

Mixing these would cause runtime errors or security issues.

Project Structure

`
src/
├── index.ts # Browser/web client entry point
├── server.ts # Node.js server entry point
├── electron-main.ts # Electron main process entry point
├── electron-preload.ts # Electron preload script entry point
├── electron-renderer.ts # Electron renderer process entry point
├── client/ # Browser client implementation
├── server/ # Server implementation
├── electron/
│ ├── main/ # Electron main process code
│ ├── preload/ # Electron preload script code
│ └── renderer/ # Electron renderer process code
└── types/ # Shared TypeScript types
`

Features

- Secure key exchange protocol
- Browser and Node.js support
- Full Electron support (main, preload, renderer)
- TypeScript support with full type definitions
- WebSocket-based communication for web/browser
- Hyperswarm support for server-to-server

Vite Plugin (Electron Main Process)

When building Electron apps with Vite, native Node.js modules need to be externalized to prevent bundling errors. The package includes a Vite plugin that automatically handles this for you.

$3

`typescript
// vite.main.config.ts (for Electron main process)
import { defineConfig } from "vite";
import { cryptforgeMainPlugin } from "@cryptforge/key-exchange/vite";

export default defineConfig({
plugins: [cryptforgeMainPlugin()],
// ... rest of your config
});
`

$3

The plugin automatically externalizes these native modules:
- hyperswarm, hyperdht, udx-native, utp-native
- sodium-native, hypercore, hypercore-crypto
- random-access-file, compact-encoding, b4a
- @cryptforge/key-exchange

$3

If you prefer manual configuration or need to customize, you can add externals manually:

`typescript
export default defineConfig({
build: {
rollupOptions: {
external: [
"hyperswarm",
"hyperdht",
"udx-native",
// ... other native modules
],
},
},
});
`

$3

- ⚠️ Only use this plugin for Electron main process builds
- ✅ The plugin merges with your existing external configuration
- ✅ Works with both array and function forms of external`
- ✅ Supports custom build tools that use Rollup

Additional Documentation

- USAGE_EXAMPLES.md - Additional usage examples for different environments

License

ISC