> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.nanoforge.eu/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Client Networking (network-client)

> How the client-side networking package works

# Client Networking (network-client)

This document describes how the `network-client` package connects to a `network-server` instance and the concrete APIs used from client-side code.

## Overview

A client connects to a single server instance. The package uses one TCP/WebSocket control channel and can also negotiate a single WebRTC data channel for unreliable traffic.

Client responsibilities in a game are typically:

* Initiate a TCP connection and send control commands such as join, play, and input.
* Optionally negotiate a WebRTC data channel for receiving server snapshots or sending low-latency updates.

## Example

It works the same with UDP:

```javascript theme={null}
// Wait for connection to be established
async function waitForConnection() {
  if (network.tcp?.isConnected()) return;

  return new Promise((resolve) => {
    const check = () => {
      if (network.tcp.isConnected()) {
        resolve();
      } else {
        setTimeout(check, 50);
      }
    };

    check();
  });
}

await waitForConnection();

// Send a JSON-encoded packet
network.tcp.sendData(new TextEncoder().encode(JSON.stringify({ hello: "world" })));

// Receive raw server packets
const latestPackets = getReceivedPackets();

// Decode packets if encoded as JSON
const decodedPackets = latestPackets.map((packet) => {
  return JSON.parse(new TextDecoder().decode(packet));
});
```

## Notes

* See [Network Client API](network-client-api) for the full list of available functions.
* For packet framing and terminator semantics, see [Packet Framing](packet-framing).