A WebSocket tester lets you connect to any WS or WSS endpoint directly in your browser, send text messages, and view real-time responses. It is the browser equivalent of wscat — useful for debugging WebSocket APIs, chat servers, and real-time data feeds during development.
Messages
Send Message
How to Use the WebSocket Tester
The WebSocket tester connects your browser directly to any WebSocket server using the native browser WebSocket API. It is the quickest way to verify that a WebSocket endpoint is working, explore its message protocol, and debug real-time communication without writing any code.
Step 1: Connect to a WebSocket Server
Enter the WebSocket URL in the connection bar. Select wss:// for secure connections or ws:// for local development servers. The pre-filled echo server echo.websocket.org returns every message you send — useful for testing the connection itself.
Step 2: Send Messages
Once connected, type your message in the Send area and click Send (or press Enter). Messages appear right-aligned in blue in the log. Responses from the server appear left-aligned in gray. Enable Pretty-print JSON to automatically format JSON responses for readability.
Auto-Reconnect and Ping
Enable Auto-reconnect to automatically retry the connection if it drops. The Ping button sends a WebSocket ping frame to measure round-trip latency and verify the connection is still alive. The connection timer shows how long the current session has been active.
FAQ
Is this WebSocket tester free?
Yes, the WebSocket tester is completely free with no account required. Connect to any WebSocket endpoint and send unlimited messages.
Can I test secure WSS connections?
Yes. Both ws:// (plain) and wss:// (TLS/SSL) connections are supported. When running on an HTTPS page, most browsers require wss:// for security reasons — plain ws:// connections may be blocked by browser mixed-content policies.
Why is the connection being blocked?
WebSocket connections are subject to browser security policies. If the server requires authentication or specific Origin headers, the connection may fail. Some servers also block browser WebSocket clients without proper CORS headers.
What does the auto-reconnect option do?
When auto-reconnect is enabled, the tool automatically attempts to reconnect to the WebSocket server if the connection drops unexpectedly. It retries up to 5 times with exponential backoff (1s, 2s, 4s, 8s, 16s).
Can I send binary data?
In text mode, all messages are sent as UTF-8 strings. The binary toggle sends the message as a Uint8Array (binary WebSocket frame). Received binary messages are displayed as hexadecimal in the message log.
What is the echo server pre-filled in the URL field?
wss://echo.websocket.org is a public echo server that returns every message you send back to you. It is useful for testing that the WebSocket connection and message sending work correctly before connecting to your own server.