Understanding WebSockets: The Backbone of Real-Time Communication

In today’s fast-paced digital world, users expect instant feedback — from chatting with friends to seeing live sports scores or stock prices update in real time. Traditional web technologies like HTTP struggle to meet these expectations efficiently. This is where WebSockets come in.

WebSockets provide a way to establish a persistent, full-duplex communication channel between the client (such as a browser) and the server. This enables both sides to send data to each other instantly — without needing to constantly refresh or re-request information.

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🧠 What Are WebSockets?

WebSockets are a communication protocol built on top of TCP that allows real-time, two-way interaction between a client and a server.

Unlike HTTP — which is request-response-based — WebSockets stay open once the connection is established. Both client and server can push messages to each other at any time.

Let’s break that down:

• Full-duplex: Both sides can send and receive data simultaneously.
• Persistent: One connection stays alive for as long as needed.
• Low latency: No repetitive handshakes or reconnections.

This makes WebSockets perfect for scenarios that demand instant updates, like chat systems, live dashboards, or collaborative tools.

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🔁 Why Not Just Use HTTP?

Before WebSockets, developers relied on creative but inefficient methods to simulate real-time communication:

1. Polling

The client repeatedly sends HTTP requests every few seconds to check for updates.

setInterval(async () => {
  const response = await fetch("/updates");
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
}, 3000);