Redis React Laravel Package

Getting Started

Start by installing the package via Composer (composer require clue/redis-react) and importing the React\Redis\Client class. Initialize the client using Client::create('tcp://127.0.0.1:6379'), passing in a Redis server URI. Your first use case will likely be a simple non-blocking get or set operation within a ReactPHP application — e.g., fetching a cached value without halting the event loop. Check examples/ in the repo for minimal working demos.

Implementation Patterns

• Single-client pattern: Use a singleton Client instance shared across your app for low-overhead, stateful connections. Reuse the connection rather than creating new ones per request.
• Pub/Sub handling: Leverage $client->subscribe() and attach callbacks to incoming messages — ideal for real-time features like chat or notifications in long-running processes.
• Pipeline usage: Batch commands via $client->pipeline() for bulk operations (e.g., populating caches), reducing network round-trips while preserving non-blocking behavior.
• Connection pooling (via Pool or manual): For higher throughput, manually manage multiple clients in a pool or combine with clue/reactphp-mysql-style patterns to avoid bottlenecks.
• Promise chaining/composition: Integrate with React\Promise (e.g., all(), resolve()) to coordinate Redis I/O with other async operations (HTTP requests, timers, etc.).

Gotchas and Tips

• Event loop dependency: Always ensure commands run within the active ReactPHP event loop; calling run() on the loop after issuing commands is critical — forgetting this causes silent failures.
• Connection lifetime management: Connections auto-reconnect by default but may drop during long idle periods. Consider issuing periodic PING or using on('close', ...) to re-initialize state.
• Error handling: Errors are emitted via the 'error' event and returned as rejected promises — always attach both .then(null, $handler) and on('error', ...) for full coverage.
• Serialization: The client only handles raw strings/binary. Use json_encode/json_decode manually (or with helpers like clue/reactphp-redis-json) to avoid accidentally storing JSON strings without understanding size/cost.
• Testing gotchas: Unit tests can’t rely on live Redis. Mock ClientInterface, or use React\Promise\Promise mocks — better yet, test pub/sub/pipeline behavior with a local Redis instance in CI and integration suites.