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Laravel Echo Server

What is Laravel Echo Server?​

Laravel Echo Server is a Node.js WebSocket server that implements the Pusher protocol for Laravel's broadcasting system, using Redis as its backing pub/sub layer. It's the older, community-maintained option that predates Laravel's first-party Reverb and the Pusher-compatible Soketi; both are generally preferred for new projects, but this remains available for existing apps already wired up to it. Laradock builds it from node:alpine.

Start Laravel Echo Server​

./laradock start laravel-echo-server

The container links to redis in compose.yml (it uses Redis as its pub/sub backend), so make sure Redis is running too. Start both together:

./laradock start redis laravel-echo-server

Stop Laravel Echo Server​

./laradock stop laravel-echo-server

To remove the container entirely (nothing persists on disk for this service, so there's no data to lose):

./laradock remove laravel-echo-server

Configuration​

laravel-echo-server/defaults.env holds the port, overridable by adding the same line to your own .env:

VariableDefaultWhat it does
LARAVEL_ECHO_SERVER_PORT6001Host-side port the WebSocket server is published on (host:6001).

Server behavior itself (auth endpoint, Redis connection, dev mode, and so on) is configured in laravel-echo-server/laravel-echo-server.json, mounted read-only into the container. Out of the box it points at Redis by container name (host: "redis", port: "6379"), listens on port 6001, and runs with devMode: true.

Authenticating private and presence channels​

Laravel Echo Server needs to know how to validate a client before letting it join a private or presence channel. laravel-echo-server.json supports two approaches, and you can use either or both:

  • authHost + authEndpoint (the default): Echo Server forwards the auth check to your Laravel app, authHost: "localhost" and authEndpoint: "/broadcasting/auth" out of the box. Set authHost to wherever your app is actually reachable from the container if localhost doesn't resolve there.
  • clients: an array of { "appId": "...", "key": "..." } pairs Echo Server can validate directly, without calling your app at all. Useful for server-to-server or API clients that already hold an app key. It's empty by default, add entries if you need it.

Change the Laravel Echo Server version​

There's no version env var for this service, the npm package version is pinned in laravel-echo-server/package.json:

"dependencies": {
  "laravel-echo-server": "^1.5.0"
}

Edit that version, then rebuild the image:

./laradock rebuild laravel-echo-server

Enable HTTPS/WSS​

By default the server speaks plain http/ws (protocol: "http" in laravel-echo-server.json). To serve over TLS instead, mount your certificate and key into the container, then point sslCertPath and sslKeyPath at them and set protocol to "https":

"protocol": "https",
"sslCertPath": "/path/inside/container/cert.pem",
"sslKeyPath": "/path/inside/container/key.pem"

You'll need to add a volume mount for your certificate files in laravel-echo-server/compose.yml since only laravel-echo-server.json itself is mounted by default.

Turn off dev mode for production​

devMode: true makes Echo Server log every connection, subscription, and disconnection, useful while wiring things up, noisy and unnecessary once broadcasting works. Set devMode: false in laravel-echo-server.json when you're done debugging.

Connect from Laravel​

  1. In your Laravel .env, configure broadcasting for the Pusher driver (Echo Server speaks the Pusher protocol) and point Echo's frontend client at the container's published port, localhost:6001 by default.
  2. Set REDIS_HOST=redis so your app and Echo Server share the same Redis pub/sub backend, this is required, Echo Server only relays events published to Redis.
  3. Start both containers:
./laradock start redis laravel-echo-server

Verify it's working​

With devMode: true (the default), Echo Server logs each client connection and channel subscription as it happens. Tail the logs while your frontend connects to confirm it's receiving traffic:

./laradock logs laravel-echo-server

No logs when your app fires a broadcast event usually means the event never reached Redis, check BROADCAST_CONNECTION and REDIS_HOST in your Laravel .env first.

Common issues​

  • No events arrive on the frontend. Laravel publishes broadcast events to Redis; Echo Server only relays what it sees there. Confirm your app's .env uses BROADCAST_CONNECTION=redis (or your Pusher-compatible driver of choice) and the same REDIS_HOST as laravel-echo-server.json.
  • Auth fails on private/presence channels. laravel-echo-server.json sets authEndpoint: "/broadcasting/auth" and authHost: "localhost"; adjust authHost if your app isn't reachable at localhost from wherever Echo Server resolves it, or add a clients entry to bypass your app entirely.
  • Port already in use on your host. Another local WebSocket server (or another Laradock project) is already bound to 6001. Change LARAVEL_ECHO_SERVER_PORT in .env and restart: ./laradock restart laravel-echo-server.
  • Config changes to laravel-echo-server.json don't take effect. It's mounted read-only in compose.yml; a restart should pick up edits, but if not, rebuild: ./laradock rebuild laravel-echo-server.

Starting a new project? Prefer Laravel's own first-party server, Laravel Reverb, or the Pusher-compatible Soketi. New to Laradock? Start at Getting Started.