Tweak use_channel_layer to allow custom group channel names

docs/examples/python/use-channel-layer-group.py

@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 @component
 def my_sender_component():
-    sender = use_channel_layer("my-channel-name", group=True)
+    sender = use_channel_layer(group_name="my-group-name")
 
     async def submit_event(event):
         if event["key"] == "Enter":
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ def my_receiver_component_1():
     async def receive_event(message):
         set_message(message["text"])
 
-    use_channel_layer("my-channel-name", receiver=receive_event, group=True)
+    use_channel_layer(group_name="my-group-name", receiver=receive_event)
 
     return html.div(f"Message Receiver 1: {message}")
 
@@ -35,6 +35,6 @@ def my_receiver_component_2():
     async def receive_event(message):
         set_message(message["text"])
 
-    use_channel_layer("my-channel-name", receiver=receive_event, group=True)
+    use_channel_layer(group_name="my-group-name", receiver=receive_event)
 
     return html.div(f"Message Receiver 2: {message}")

docs/examples/python/use-channel-layer-signal-sender.py

@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@
 from django.dispatch import receiver
 
 
-class ExampleModel(Model):
-    ...
+class ExampleModel(Model): ...
 
 
 @receiver(pre_save, sender=ExampleModel)
@@ -17,4 +16,4 @@ def my_sender_signal(sender, instance, **kwargs):
     async_to_sync(layer.send)("my-channel-name", {"text": "Hello World!"})
 
     # Example of sending a message to a group channel
-    async_to_sync(layer.group_send)("my-channel-name", {"text": "Hello World!"})
+    async_to_sync(layer.group_send)("my-group-name", {"text": "Hello World!"})

docs/src/reference/hooks.md

@@ -340,16 +340,18 @@ This is often used to create chat systems, synchronize data between components,
 
     | Name | Type | Description | Default |
     | --- | --- | --- | --- |
-    | `#!python name` | `#!python str` | The name of the channel to subscribe to. | N/A |
-    | `#!python receiver` | `#!python AsyncMessageReceiver | None` | An async function that receives a `#!python message: dict` from the channel layer. If more than one receiver waits on the same channel, a random one will get the result (unless `#!python group=True` is defined). | `#!python None` |
-    | `#!python group` | `#!python bool` | If `#!python True`, a "group channel" will be used. Messages sent within a group are broadcasted to all receivers on that channel. | `#!python False` |
-    | `#!python layer` | `#!python str` | The channel layer to use. These layers must be defined in `#!python settings.py:CHANNEL_LAYERS`. | `#!python 'default'` |
+    | `#!python name` | `#!python str | None` | The name of the channel to subscribe to. If you define a `#!python group_name`, you can keep `#!python name` undefined to auto-generate a unique name. | `#!python None` |
+    | `#!python group_name` | `#!python str | None` | If configured, any messages sent within this hook will be broadcasted to all channels in this group. | `#!python None` |
+    | `#!python group_add` | `#!python bool` | If `#!python True`, the channel will automatically be added to the group when the component mounts. | `#!python True` |
+    | `#!python group_discard` | `#!python bool` | If `#!python True`, the channel will automatically be removed from the group when the component dismounts. | `#!python True` |
+    | `#!python receiver` | `#!python AsyncMessageReceiver | None` | An async function that receives a `#!python message: dict` from a channel. If more than one receiver waits on the same channel name, a random receiver will get the result. | `#!python None` |
+    | `#!python layer` | `#!python str` | The channel layer to use. This layer must be defined in `#!python settings.py:CHANNEL_LAYERS`. | `#!python 'default'` |
 
     <font size="4">**Returns**</font>
 
     | Type | Description |
     | --- | --- |
-    | `#!python AsyncMessageSender` | An async callable that can send a `#!python message: dict` |
+    | `#!python AsyncMessageSender` | An async callable that can send a `#!python message: dict`. |
 
 ??? warning "Extra Django configuration required"
 
@@ -359,13 +361,15 @@ This is often used to create chat systems, synchronize data between components,
 
     In summary, you will need to:
 
-    1. Run the following command to install `channels-redis` in your Python environment.
+    1. Install [`redis`](https://redis.io/download/) on your machine.
+
+    2. Run the following command to install `channels-redis` in your Python environment.
 
         ```bash linenums="0"
         pip install channels-redis
         ```
 
-    2. Configure your `settings.py` to use `RedisChannelLayer` as your layer backend.
+    3. Configure your `settings.py` to use `RedisChannelLayer` as your layer backend.
 
         ```python linenums="0"
         CHANNEL_LAYERS = {
@@ -380,9 +384,9 @@ This is often used to create chat systems, synchronize data between components,
 
 ??? question "How do I broadcast a message to multiple components?"
 
-    By default, if more than one receiver waits on the same channel, a random one will get the result.
+    If more than one receiver waits on the same channel, a random one will get the result.
 
-    However, by defining `#!python group=True` you can configure a "group channel", which will broadcast messages to all receivers.
+    To get around this, you can define a `#!python group_name` to broadcast messages to all channels within a specific group. If you do not define a channel `#!python name` while using groups, ReactPy will automatically generate a unique channel name for you.
 
     In the example below, all messages sent by the `#!python sender` component will be received by all `#!python receiver` components that exist (across every active client browser).
 
@@ -400,15 +404,16 @@ This is often used to create chat systems, synchronize data between components,
 
     In the example below, the sender will send a signal every time `#!python ExampleModel` is saved. Then, when the receiver component gets this signal, it explicitly calls `#!python set_message(...)` to trigger a re-render.
 
-    === "components.py"
+    === "signals.py"
 
         ```python
-        {% include "../../examples/python/use-channel-layer-signal-receiver.py" %}
+        {% include "../../examples/python/use-channel-layer-signal-sender.py" %}
         ```
-    === "signals.py"
+
+    === "components.py"
 
         ```python
-        {% include "../../examples/python/use-channel-layer-signal-sender.py" %}
+        {% include "../../examples/python/use-channel-layer-signal-receiver.py" %}
         ```
 
 ---

src/reactpy_django/hooks.py

@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@
 
 
 _logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-_REFETCH_CALLBACKS: DefaultDict[
-    Callable[..., Any], set[Callable[[], None]]
-] = DefaultDict(set)
+_REFETCH_CALLBACKS: DefaultDict[Callable[..., Any], set[Callable[[], None]]] = (
+    DefaultDict(set)
+)
 
 
 # TODO: Deprecate this once the equivalent hook gets moved to reactpy.hooks.*
@@ -109,17 +109,15 @@ def use_query(
     query: Callable[FuncParams, Awaitable[Inferred]] | Callable[FuncParams, Inferred],
     *args: FuncParams.args,
     **kwargs: FuncParams.kwargs,
-) -> Query[Inferred]:
-    ...
+) -> Query[Inferred]: ...
 
 
 @overload
 def use_query(
     query: Callable[FuncParams, Awaitable[Inferred]] | Callable[FuncParams, Inferred],
     *args: FuncParams.args,
     **kwargs: FuncParams.kwargs,
-) -> Query[Inferred]:
-    ...
+) -> Query[Inferred]: ...
 
 
 def use_query(*args, **kwargs) -> Query[Inferred]:
@@ -221,20 +219,20 @@ def register_refetch_callback() -> Callable[[], None]:
 @overload
 def use_mutation(
     options: MutationOptions,
-    mutation: Callable[FuncParams, bool | None]
-    | Callable[FuncParams, Awaitable[bool | None]],
+    mutation: (
+        Callable[FuncParams, bool | None] | Callable[FuncParams, Awaitable[bool | None]]
+    ),
     refetch: Callable[..., Any] | Sequence[Callable[..., Any]] | None = None,
-) -> Mutation[FuncParams]:
-    ...
+) -> Mutation[FuncParams]: ...
 
 
 @overload
 def use_mutation(
-    mutation: Callable[FuncParams, bool | None]
-    | Callable[FuncParams, Awaitable[bool | None]],
+    mutation: (
+        Callable[FuncParams, bool | None] | Callable[FuncParams, Awaitable[bool | None]]
+    ),
     refetch: Callable[..., Any] | Sequence[Callable[..., Any]] | None = None,
-) -> Mutation[FuncParams]:
-    ...
+) -> Mutation[FuncParams]: ...
 
 
 def use_mutation(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> Mutation[FuncParams]:
@@ -327,8 +325,9 @@ def use_user() -> AbstractUser:
 
 
 def use_user_data(
-    default_data: None
-    | dict[str, Callable[[], Any] | Callable[[], Awaitable[Any]] | Any] = None,
+    default_data: (
+        None | dict[str, Callable[[], Any] | Callable[[], Awaitable[Any]] | Any]
+    ) = None,
     save_default_data: bool = False,
 ) -> UserData:
     """Get or set user data stored within the REACTPY_DATABASE.
@@ -368,27 +367,37 @@ async def _set_user_data(data: dict):
 
 
 def use_channel_layer(
-    name: str,
+    name: str | None = None,
+    *,
+    group_name: str | None = None,
+    group_add: bool = True,
+    group_discard: bool = True,
     receiver: AsyncMessageReceiver | None = None,
-    group: bool = False,
     layer: str = DEFAULT_CHANNEL_LAYER,
 ) -> AsyncMessageSender:
     """
     Subscribe to a Django Channels layer to send/receive messages.
 
     Args:
-        name: The name of the channel to subscribe to.
-        receiver: An async function that receives a `message: dict` from the channel layer. \
-            If more than one receiver waits on the same channel, a random one \
-            will get the result (unless `group=True` is defined).
-        group: If `True`, a "group channel" will be used. Messages sent within a \
-            group are broadcasted to all receivers on that channel.
-        layer: The channel layer to use. These layers must be defined in \
+        name: The name of the channel to subscribe to. If you define a `group_name`, you \
+            can keep `name` undefined to auto-generate a unique name.
+        group_name: If configured, any messages sent within this hook will be broadcasted \
+            to all channels in this group.
+        group_add: If `True`, the channel will automatically be added to the group \
+            when the component mounts.
+        group_discard: If `True`, the channel will automatically be removed from the \
+            group when the component dismounts.
+        receiver: An async function that receives a `message: dict` from a channel. \
+            If more than one receiver waits on the same channel name, a random receiver \
+            will get the result.
+        layer: The channel layer to use. This layer must be defined in \
             `settings.py:CHANNEL_LAYERS`.
     """
     channel_layer: InMemoryChannelLayer | RedisChannelLayer = get_channel_layer(layer)
-    channel_name = use_memo(lambda: str(uuid4() if group else name))
-    group_name = name if group else ""
+    channel_name = use_memo(lambda: str(name or uuid4()))
+
+    if not name and not group_name:
+        raise ValueError("You must define a `name` or `group_name` for the channel.")
 
     if not channel_layer:
         raise ValueError(
@@ -399,17 +408,18 @@ def use_channel_layer(
     # Add/remove a group's channel during component mount/dismount respectively.
     @use_effect(dependencies=[])
     async def group_manager():
-        if group:
+        if group_name and group_add:
             await channel_layer.group_add(group_name, channel_name)
 
+        if group_name and group_discard:
             return lambda: asyncio.run(
                 channel_layer.group_discard(group_name, channel_name)
             )
 
     # Listen for messages on the channel using the provided `receiver` function.
     @use_effect
     async def message_receiver():
-        if not receiver or not channel_name:
+        if not receiver:
             return
 
         while True:
@@ -418,7 +428,7 @@ async def message_receiver():
 
     # User interface for sending messages to the channel
     async def message_sender(message: dict):
-        if group:
+        if group_name:
             await channel_layer.group_send(group_name, message)
         else:
             await channel_layer.send(channel_name, message)

tests/test_app/channel_layers/components.py

@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def group_receiver(id: int):
     async def receiver(message):
         set_state(message["text"])
 
-    use_channel_layer("group-messenger", receiver=receiver, group=True)
+    use_channel_layer(receiver=receiver, group_name="group-messenger")
 
     return html.div(
         {"id": f"group-receiver-{id}", "data-message": state},
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ async def receiver(message):
 
 @component
 def group_sender():
-    sender = use_channel_layer("group-messenger", group=True)
+    sender = use_channel_layer(group_name="group-messenger")
 
     async def submit_event(event):
         if event["key"] == "Enter":