The DataTrack API lets you create a DataTrack channel which can be used to send low latency messages to zero or more receivers subscribed to the data. For a detailed guide about DataTracks reference our documentation.
This example illustrates how to use the DataTrack API to write a simple collaborative drawing app.
In this example, participants can join a room and begin drawing on a canvas. The drawing is shared to all other participants using the DataTrack API to provide a collaborative whiteboard experience. Once disconnected from a room your canvas clears and your drawings are removed from all other participant's canvases. Each participant's drawings will be presented in a unique color.
To get started with this example you will need to perform the following steps:
An access token is required to connect to a room. There are two options for retrieving an access token.
You can paste your token as an entry in your local.properties file. See example below:
TWILIO_ACCESS_TOKEN=YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN
You can use a token server you setup with our guide to retrieve tokens at runtime. See example below.
TWILIO_ACCESS_TOKEN_SERVER=http://localhost:3000
# Default value is false
USE_TOKEN_SERVER=true
Once you have setup your access token you can run the application and you will be presented with the following screen:
Before connecting to the screen the canvas is disabled. To start drawing connect to a room.
Once connected you can start drawing and see other connected participant's drawing.
