ReadableStream.tee()

The tee() method of the ReadableStream interface tees the current readable stream, returning a two-element array containing the two resulting branches as new ReadableStream instances.

This is useful for allowing two readers to read a stream sequentially or simultaneously, perhaps at different speeds. For example, you might do this in a ServiceWorker if you want to fetch a response from the server and stream it to the browser, but also stream it to the ServiceWorker cache. Since a response body cannot be consumed more than once, you'd need two copies to do this.

A teed stream will partially signal backpressure at the rate of the faster consumer of the two ReadableStream branches, and unread data is enqueued internally on the slower consumed ReadableStream without any limit or backpressure. That is, when both branches have an unread element in their internal queue, then the original ReadableStream's controller's internal queue will start to fill up, and once its ReadableStreamDefaultController.desiredSize", "desiredSize ≤ 0 or byte stream controller ReadableByteStreamController.desiredSize", "desiredSize ≤ 0, then the controller will stop calling pull(controller) on the underlying source passed to ReadableStream.ReadableStream", "new ReadableStream(). If only one branch is consumed, then the entire body will be enqueued in memory. Therefore, you should not use the built-in tee() to read very large streams in parallel at different speeds. Instead, search for an implementation that fully backpressures to the speed of the slower consumed branch.

To cancel the stream you then need to cancel both resulting branches. Teeing a stream will generally lock it for the duration, preventing other readers from locking it.

Syntax

tee()

Parameters

None.

Return value

An Array containing two ReadableStream instances.

Exceptions

• TypeError
  • : Thrown if the source stream is not a ReadableStream.