BroadcastChannel

This is an experimental technology
Because this technology's specification has not stabilized, check the compatibility table for usage in various browsers. Also note that the syntax and behavior of an experimental technology is subject to change in future versions of browsers as the specification changes.

The BroadcastChannel interface represents a named channel that any browsing context of a given origin can subscribe to. It allows communication between different documents (in different windows, tabs, frames or iframes) of the same origin. Messages are broadcasted via a message event fired at all BroadcastChannel objects listening to the channel.

Note: This feature is available in Web Workers.

Constructor

BroadcastChannel()
Creates an object linking to the named channel.

Properties

This interface also inherits properties from its parent, EventTarget.

BroadcastChannel.name
Returns a DOMString, the name of the channel.
BroadcastChannel.onmessage
Is an EventHandler property that specifies the function to execute when a message event is fired on this object.

Methods

This interface also inherits methods from its parent, EventTarget.

BroadcastChannel.postMessage()
Sends the message, of any type of object, to each BroadcastChannel object listening to the same channel.
BroadcastChannel.close()
Closes the channel object, indicating it won't get any new messages, and allowing it to be, eventually, garbage collected.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
WHATWG HTML Living Standard
The definition of 'BroadcastChannel' in that specification.
Living Standard Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support 54.0 38 (38) No support 41 No support
Available in workers 54.0 38 (38) No support 41 No support
Feature Android Android Webview Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Mobile Opera Mobile Safari Mobile Chrome for Android
Basic support No support No support 38.0 (38) No support 41 No support 54.0
Available in workers No support No support 38.0 (38) No support 41 No support 54.0

See also

Document Tags and Contributors

 Contributors to this page: jpmedley, mkato, teoli, chrisdavidmills, fscholz
 Last updated by: jpmedley,