Ajax Polling vs WebSockets
Developers should use Ajax Polling when building applications that require periodic data updates, such as live notifications, chat applications, or dashboards with real-time metrics, especially in environments where simpler alternatives like WebSockets or Server-Sent Events are not supported meets developers should learn and use websockets when building applications that require real-time features, such as live chat, online gaming, financial trading platforms, collaborative editing tools, or live sports updates, as it reduces latency and server load compared to polling techniques like http long-polling. Here's our take.
Ajax Polling
Developers should use Ajax Polling when building applications that require periodic data updates, such as live notifications, chat applications, or dashboards with real-time metrics, especially in environments where simpler alternatives like WebSockets or Server-Sent Events are not supported
Ajax Polling
Nice PickDevelopers should use Ajax Polling when building applications that require periodic data updates, such as live notifications, chat applications, or dashboards with real-time metrics, especially in environments where simpler alternatives like WebSockets or Server-Sent Events are not supported
Pros
- +It is suitable for low-frequency updates or legacy systems, but for high-frequency or low-latency needs, more efficient methods are recommended to reduce bandwidth and server overhead
- +Related to: ajax, javascript
Cons
- -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case
WebSockets
Developers should learn and use WebSockets when building applications that require real-time features, such as live chat, online gaming, financial trading platforms, collaborative editing tools, or live sports updates, as it reduces latency and server load compared to polling techniques like HTTP long-polling
Pros
- +It is particularly valuable in scenarios where instant data synchronization between clients and servers is critical, such as in IoT device monitoring or interactive dashboards, because it maintains an open connection for continuous data flow
- +Related to: http, real-time-communication
Cons
- -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case
The Verdict
These tools serve different purposes. Ajax Polling is a concept while WebSockets is a protocol. We picked Ajax Polling based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.
Based on overall popularity. Ajax Polling is more widely used, but WebSockets excels in its own space.
Disagree with our pick? nice@nicepick.dev