Game Backend Architecture

Purpose

WebSocket + REST patterns, room/session management, game tick loops, genre-agnostic server design using Elysia + Bun. Covers server-authoritative architecture, fixed-timestep simulation, room lifecycle, typed message protocols, and horizontal scaling via Redis pub/sub.

When to Use

Trigger: game server, backend architecture, WebSocket, room management, game loop, tick system, server-authoritative, real-time, Elysia game server, multiplayer backend, session management, game tick, fixed timestep server

Prerequisites

• postgres-game-schema — database layer for persistent game state
• redis-game-patterns — caching, pub/sub, presence, and ephemeral state

Core Principles

"I'm not interested in creating a game that does things for the player. I want to create a simulation that responds to the player." — Will Wright