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# Server Communication
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Core RPC communication functions for DevTools server connectivity, health monitoring, and project configuration access.
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## Capabilities
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### Health Check
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Simple heartbeat function to verify server connectivity and RPC communication.
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```typescript { .api }
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/**
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 * Simple heartbeat function for server connectivity verification
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 * @returns Always returns true to confirm server is responsive
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 */
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function heartbeat(): boolean;
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```
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**Usage Example:**
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```typescript
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// Verify server connection
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const isAlive = heartbeat();
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console.log('Server responsive:', isAlive); // Always true if connection works
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```
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### Project Configuration
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Access to core project configuration information.
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```typescript { .api }
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/**
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 * Gets the project root directory path
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 * @returns Project root directory as absolute path
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 */
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function getRoot(): string;
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```
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**Usage Example:**
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```typescript
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const projectRoot = getRoot();
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console.log('Project root:', projectRoot);
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// Result: "/Users/developer/my-vue-project"
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```
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## RPC Infrastructure
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These functions are part of the RPC (Remote Procedure Call) system that enables communication between the DevTools client and the Vite development server.
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### Communication Flow
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1. **Client Request**: DevTools client calls RPC function
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2. **Server Processing**: Vite plugin processes the request
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3. **Response**: Server returns result to client
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4. **Real-time Updates**: Server can broadcast updates to all connected clients
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### Error Handling
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RPC functions handle common error scenarios:
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- **Connection Issues**: Functions will throw if server is unreachable
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- **Invalid Parameters**: Type validation ensures proper parameter handling
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- **Server Errors**: Internal server errors are properly propagated to client
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### Integration with Other Functions
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Server communication functions work alongside other DevTools capabilities:
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- **Asset Analysis**: Uses server filesystem access for asset scanning
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- **Module Graph**: Leverages Vite's internal module tracking
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- **Component Inspector**: Coordinates with development server for file editing