--- url: https://talkjs.com/docs/Data_APIs/JavaScript --- # JavaScript Data API Ask a question Copy for LLM [View as Markdown](/docs/Data_APIs/JavaScript.md) The JavaScript Data API lets you connect to your TalkJS chat as a user and read, subscribe to, and update your chat data. It's available as an npm package, [`@talkjs/core`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@talkjs/core), and as part of the [classic JavaScript SDK](/docs/UI_Components/JavaScript/Classic/). It supports the following platforms: - Browsers - React Native - Node.js The Data API is primarily intended to be used in the client environments, such as browsers or React Native, because it connects as a single specific user. However, you can also use it in Node.js. See [Node.js compatibility](#nodejs-compatibility) for more details. ## How to install TalkJS Core You can install the [`@talkjs/core` NPM package](https://www.npmjs.com/package/@talkjs/core), or include it as a script. ### Install with a package manager Install the `@talkjs/core` npm package: **npm** ```shell npm install @talkjs/core ``` **yarn** ```shell yarn add @talkjs/core ``` ### Include as a script If you use TalkJS without a build step, you can include TalkJS core as a script. Add the following to the `` tag of the HTML page where you want to use TalkJS Core: ```html ``` ## Node.js compatibility If you use TalkJS Core in Node.js version 22, it will use the built-in WebSocket implementation automatically. Node.js version 21 will also use the built-in implementation if the `--experimental-websocket` flag is enabled. If you are using an older version of Node.js without built-in support for WebSockets, you will need to add support with a library. We recommend installing the `ws` package. Then tell `@talkjs/core` to use `WebSocket` from `ws`: ```js import { getTalkSession, registerPolyfills } from "@talkjs/core"; import { WebSocket } from "ws"; registerPolyfills({ WebSocket: WebSocket }); const session = getTalkSession({ ... }); ```