RTCDataChannel.readyState

This is an experimental technology
Check the Browser compatibility table carefully before using this in production.

The read-only RTCDataChannel property readyState returns an enum of type RTCDataChannelState which indicates the state of the data channel's underlying data connection.

Syntax

var state = aDataChannel.readyState;

Values

A string which is one of the values in the RTCDataChannelState enum, indicating the current state of the underlying data transport.

RTCDataChannelState enum

The RTCDataChannelState enum defines string constants which reflect the current status of the RTCDataChannel's underlying data connection.

Constant Description
"connecting" The user agent (browser) is in the process of creating the underlying data transport; that is, whatever network level connection is used to link the two peers together is in the process of being set up. This is the state of a new RTCDataChannel after being created by RTCPeerConnection.createDataChannel() (on the peer which started the connection process).
"open" The underlying data transport has been established and data can be transferred bidirectionally across it. This is the default state of a new RTCDataChannel created by the WebRTC layer when the remote peer created the channel and delivered to the site or app in a datachannel event of type RTCDataChannelEvent.
"closing" The process of closing the underlying data transport has begun. It is no longer possible to queue new messages to be sent, but previously queued messages may still be send or received before entering the "closed" state.
"closed" The underlying data transport has closed, or the attempt to make the connection failed.

Example

var dataChannel = peerConnection.createDataChannel("File Transfer");
var sendQueue = [];

function sendMessage(msg) {
  switch(dataChannel.readyState) {
    case "connecting":
      console.log("Connection not open; queueing: " + msg);
      sendQueue.push(msg);
      break;
    case "open":
      sendQueue.forEach((msg) => dataChannel.send(msg));
      break;
    case "closing":
      console.log("Attempted to send message while closing: " + msg);
      break;
    case "closed":
      console.log("Error! Attempt to send while connection closed.");
      break;
  }
}

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
WebRTC 1.0: Real-time Communication Between Browsers
The definition of 'RTCDataChannel.readyState' in that specification.
Candidate Recommendation Initial specification.

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
readyState
Experimental
Chrome Full support 56Edge Full support ≤79Firefox Full support YesIE No support NoOpera Full support 43Safari No support NoWebView Android Full support 56Chrome Android Full support 56Firefox Android Full support YesOpera Android Full support 43Safari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android Full support 6.0

Legend

Full support
Full support
No support
No support
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.

See also