Node Multiplayer Snake Game

A simple Node.js multiplayer game published as a sample deployment project for Nife.io.

This repository demonstrates how to run a real-time multiplayer application locally, package it with Docker, and deploy it on Nife.io. It is intended as a practical sample for validating Node.js deployment workflows, container-based delivery, and real-time communication systems.

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Overview

This project is a real-time multiplayer snake game built using Node.js, Express, and Socket.IO. It demonstrates server-client synchronization using WebSockets along with interactive browser-based gameplay.

If you want a simple real-time backend project to test deployment on Nife.io, this repository is a good starting point.

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Features

Feature	Description
Multiplayer gameplay	Real-time interaction between players
Socket.IO integration	Enables WebSocket-based communication
Player customization	Name and color selection
Admin controls	Adjust speed, bots, food settings
Spectator mode	Watch ongoing matches
Statistics tracking	Score, kills, and deaths
Custom assets	Upload snake and background images
Interactive gameplay	Walls, effects, and notifications

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Tech Stack

Technology	Purpose
Node.js	Runtime environment
Express	Web framework
Socket.IO	Real-time communication
JavaScript	Application logic
Docker	Containerization
Nife.io	Deployment platform

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Prerequisites

Before running the project locally, make sure the following are installed.

Requirement	Notes
Node.js	Version 8 or higher
npm	Comes with Node.js
Git	Required to clone repository

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Getting Started

Clone the repository

git clone https://github.com/simondiep/node-multiplayer-snake.git
cd node-multiplayer-snake

Install dependencies

npm install

Run the application

npm start

Then open the application at http://localhost:3000.

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Run with Docker

This project includes a Dockerfile for container-based execution.

Build the image

docker build -t node-multiplayer-snake .

Run the container

docker run -p 3000:3000 node-multiplayer-snake

After the container starts, open the app at http://localhost:3000.

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Deploy on Nife.io

You can deploy this application on Nife.io using either a Docker image, the source repository, or the CLI.

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Option 1: Deploy from the Git repository

You can also deploy the project directly from GitHub.

Setting	Value
Source	Git Repository
Provider	GitHub
Branch	main
Internal Port	3000
External Port	80
Build Mode	Auto-Dockerize with runtime

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Option 2: Deploy with nifectl

If you prefer the command line, use the following workflow.

nifectl auth login
nifectl init
nifectl deploy

For step-by-step instructions, see the Nife.io Quick Deploy documentation and the nifectl quick start guide.

Environment Variables

The following variables are commonly relevant for deployment.

Variable	Description	Example
NODE_ENV	Application environment	production
PORT	Server port	3000

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Repository Structure

Path	Purpose
public/	Frontend assets
src/	Server-side logic
Dockerfile	Container build instructions
package.json	Project dependencies
server.js	Entry point

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Troubleshooting

Issue	Suggested fix
Port 3000 already in use	Stop conflicting process or change port
Dependencies not installed	Run npm install
App not starting	Check logs and Node version
Docker build fails	Verify Dockerfile
Deployment fails on Nife.io	Check ports and configuration
App not accessible	Verify routing and logs

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Acknowledgements

This repository is maintained by Nifetency as a sample deployment project for Nife.io.

If this repository is derived from an earlier template or upstream example, it is good practice to retain visible credit to the original author or source repository.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.

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References

1. (https://nife.io)
2. (https://docs.nife.io/deploy/node)