feat(clerk-js): Remove BroadcastChannel build variant

[jacekradko]

Description

Removing the custom variant for testing out BroadcastChannel functionality. This functionality is now part of the core browser build

Checklist

• pnpm test runs as expected.
• pnpm build runs as expected.
• (If applicable) JSDoc comments have been added or updated for any package exports
• (If applicable) Documentation has been updated

Type of change

• 🐛 Bug fix
• 🌟 New feature
• 🔨 Breaking change
• 📖 Refactoring / dependency upgrade / documentation
• other:

Summary by CodeRabbit

• Chores

  • Removed the BroadcastChannel build variant, associated dev script, and channel bundle tracking.
  • Added a changeset noting a minor release bump.

• Refactor

  • Token cache now enables cross-tab communication based on environment capability rather than build variant.
  • Removed a previously exposed channel preset from the exported environment set.

• Tests

  • Integration test environment switched from BroadcastChannel-based sharing to EmailCodes-based setup.

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[changeset-bot]

🦋 Changeset detected

Latest commit: 768e84d

The changes in this PR will be included in the next version bump.

This PR includes changesets to release 3 packages

Name	Type
@clerk/clerk-js	Minor
@clerk/chrome-extension	Patch
@clerk/clerk-expo	Patch

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Project	Deployment	Preview	Comments	Updated (UTC)
clerk-js-sandbox	Ready	Preview	Comment	Nov 21, 2025 8:03pm

[coderabbitai]

Walkthrough

Removed the clerkChannelBrowser build variant and related artifacts; switched BroadcastChannel usage from a build-time flag to runtime environment detection; updated presets, tests, build configs, and type declarations accordingly.

Changes

Cohort / File(s)	Summary
Build config & scripts packages/clerk-js/rspack.config.js, packages/clerk-js/bundlewatch.config.json, packages/clerk-js/package.json	Removed the clerkChannelBrowser build variant and all references, removed ./dist/clerk.channel.browser.js from bundlewatch, and deleted the dev:channel npm script.
Type & test config packages/clerk-js/src/global.d.ts, packages/clerk-js/vitest.config.mts	Deleted the __BUILD_VARIANT_CHANNEL__ declaration/define from global types and Vitest config.
Runtime code packages/clerk-js/src/core/tokenCache.ts	Replaced build-flag gated BroadcastChannel initialization with runtime environment detection (check for BroadcastChannel existence).
Integration presets & tests integration/presets/envs.ts, integration/tests/session-token-cache/single-session.test.ts	Removed withBroadcastChannel from exported env presets and switched the single-session test to use the EmailCodes preset instead of BroadcastChannel.
Changeset .changeset/curly-dingos-pay.md	Added a changeset noting a minor bump for @clerk/clerk-js describing session token poller optimization.

Sequence Diagram

sequenceDiagram
    participant App as Application
    participant TokenCache as TokenCache.ensureBroadcastChannel()
    participant Env as Runtime Environment
    participant BC as BroadcastChannel API

    rect rgb(220,240,255)
    note right of TokenCache: Old flow (build-time gated)
    App->>TokenCache: Initialize
    alt __BUILD_VARIANT_CHANNEL__ true
        TokenCache->>BC: instantiate & wire listener
        BC-->>TokenCache: ready
    else
        TokenCache-->>App: null (disabled)
    end
    end

    rect rgb(220,255,220)
    note right of TokenCache: New flow (runtime detection)
    App->>TokenCache: Initialize
    TokenCache->>Env: is BroadcastChannel defined?
    alt BroadcastChannel exists
        Env-->>TokenCache: yes
        TokenCache->>BC: instantiate & wire listener
        BC-->>TokenCache: ready
    else
        Env-->>TokenCache: no
        TokenCache-->>App: null (not available)
    end
    end

Loading

Estimated code review effort

🎯 3 (Moderate) | ⏱️ ~20 minutes

• Pay attention to packages/clerk-js/rspack.config.js to ensure no leftover references to the removed variant.
• Verify tokenCache.ts handles environments without BroadcastChannel safely and that message handling remains correct.
• Confirm integration test change properly reflects intended behavior and that integration/presets/envs.ts exports remain consistent.

Poem

🐰
I nudged the build flag from the burrow light,
Now channels wake when the day is right.
No variant keys, just the world outside—
Tokens hop through tabs, a smoother ride!

Pre-merge checks and finishing touches

✅ Passed checks (3 passed)

Check name	Status	Explanation
Description Check	✅ Passed	Check skipped - CodeRabbit’s high-level summary is enabled.
Title check	✅ Passed	The title accurately summarizes the main change: removing the BroadcastChannel build variant. It directly reflects the core objective stated in the PR description and is specific about what is being removed.
Docstring Coverage	✅ Passed	No functions found in the changed files to evaluate docstring coverage. Skipping docstring coverage check.

✨ Finishing touches

🧪 Generate unit tests (beta)

• Create PR with unit tests
• Post copyable unit tests in a comment
• Commit unit tests in branch feat/remove-channel-variant

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📥 Commits

Reviewing files that changed from the base of the PR and between d88197e and 768e84d.

📒 Files selected for processing (1)

• .changeset/curly-dingos-pay.md (1 hunks)

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🔇 Additional comments (1)

.changeset/curly-dingos-pay.md (1)

1-5: Clarify the changeset description and verify breaking change status.

The changeset description "Optimized session token poller to share token with other open tabs" doesn't clearly communicate the underlying infrastructure change (build variant removal + runtime environment detection). While the MINOR version bump is appropriate if functionality improves without API breakage, the description should better explain:

1. What changed: BroadcastChannel detection moved from compile-time build variant to runtime environment detection
2. Impact: Token sharing now works based on runtime capabilities rather than build variant selection
3. Migration: Whether this affects existing build pipelines or requires any user action

Additionally, the PR checklist shows no type-of-change box checked. Verify whether this qualifies as a breaking change (if removing the clerkChannelBrowser variant breaks any documented workflows) or a feature/refactoring.

Consider revising the description to be more explicit about the change, or add clarifying context in clerk-docs (per the checklist) that explains the migration from build variants to runtime detection.

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commit: 768e84d