Architecture Overview
io.Connect uses an event-driven, decoupled architecture based on a local messaging hub. Understanding this architecture is essential for building well-integrated applications.
Hub-and-Spoke Model
The io.Connect environment operates on a hub-and-spoke architecture:
- Hub (Platform/Main App) — The central coordinator that initializes the environment, manages the messaging bus, hosts shared state, and routes communication between spokes.
- Spokes (Client Apps) — Individual applications that connect to the hub. They can publish and subscribe to shared data, register and invoke interop methods, and participate in workflows.
Browser vs DesktopIn io.Connect Browser, the hub is the Main web app using
@interopio/browser-platform. In io.Connect Desktop, the hub is the native runtime itself, and all apps connect automatically.Client Libraries
| Package | Purpose | Environment |
|---|---|---|
@interopio/browser-platform | Initializes the Browser platform hub | Browser (Main app only) |
@interopio/browser | Client API for Browser apps (spokes) | Browser |
@interopio/desktop | Full API for Desktop integration | Desktop |
@interopio/react-hooks | React provider and hooks | Both |
@interopio/workspaces-api | Workspaces control API | Both |
@interopio/fdc3 | FDC3 API compliance layer | Both |
Platform Modes (Desktop v10.0+)
io.Connect Desktop supports two operational modes:
Default Mode
- Supports web groups for organizing web applications
- Recommended for modern, web-centric deployments
- Does not support classic window groups or deep native app visual integration
Advanced Mode
- Full support for classic window groups
- Deep visual integration of native/legacy OS applications
- Enabled via
"advancedMode": trueinsystem.json
When to use Advanced ModeChoose Advanced Mode when you need to integrate native .NET, Java, or COM-based applications with visual window grouping.
Communication Architecture
io.Connect provides a unified messaging infrastructure that seamlessly connects applications regardless of their underlying technology. All communication flows through the platform's managed bus, delivering:
- Cross-Technology Reach — web, .NET, Java, COM, and native applications all communicate through the same APIs
- Governance & Auditing — all inter-app communication is observable and auditable out of the box
- Sub-Millisecond Latency — optimized local messaging for real-time responsiveness
- Automatic Reconnection — resilient connections with state recovery after disconnects
- FDC3 Interoperability — standard-compliant communication with third-party financial applications
Universal CommunicationThe io.Connect messaging bus bridges web and native technologies transparently. A React app, a .NET trading system, and a Java risk engine can all share the same Shared Contexts, Channels, and Interop Methods — with zero additional configuration.