Install the client SDK

The client SDK is published as @pbvex/client. It is browser-neutral and only requires a fetch implementation.

Install

npm install --global pbvex
npm install --save-dev pbvex
npm install @pbvex/client

The CLI is installed globally so pbvex codegen is available directly. Keep its version aligned with the local pbvex authoring dependency, which supplies the server and validator imports used by a PBVex application.

Requirements

• Node.js 18+ or a modern browser.
• A fetch implementation. In Node 18+ globalThis.fetch is used by default. In older environments, pass fetch in ClientOptions.
• crypto.subtle is required for realtime subscription id hashing.
• TypeScript 5.0+ with moduleResolution: 'NodeNext' is recommended for generated FunctionReference types.

Generate API references

In a PBVex project, run codegen to produce typed references:

pbvex codegen

This writes pbvex/_generated/api.ts:

import { api } from '../pbvex/_generated/api.js';
import { Client } from '@pbvex/client';

const client = new Client('http://localhost:8090');
const messages = await client.query(api.messages.list, { channel: 'general' });

Peer relationship

@pbvex/client depends on @pbvex/protocol for the shared wire contract. You do not normally need to install @pbvex/protocol directly unless you are implementing a custom transport or authoring tooling.