HTTP Long Polling vs Server-Sent Events

Developers should learn HTTP Long Polling when building real-time features like chat applications, live notifications, or stock tickers in environments where WebSockets are not supported or feasible, such as older browsers or restrictive network configurations meets developers should learn sse when building applications that require real-time, server-to-client updates, such as live dashboards, chat applications, or news feeds, as it offers a lightweight and easy-to-implement alternative to websockets for one-way data flow. Here's our take.

HTTP Long Polling

Nice Pick

Developers should learn HTTP Long Polling when building real-time features like chat applications, live notifications, or stock tickers in environments where WebSockets are not supported or feasible, such as older browsers or restrictive network configurations

Pros

• It provides a fallback mechanism for real-time communication, ensuring compatibility and reliability in diverse deployment scenarios, though it may introduce latency and server overhead compared to more modern alternatives
• Related to: websockets, server-sent-events

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Server-Sent Events

Developers should learn SSE when building applications that require real-time, server-to-client updates, such as live dashboards, chat applications, or news feeds, as it offers a lightweight and easy-to-implement alternative to WebSockets for one-way data flow

Pros

• It is particularly useful in scenarios where you need to avoid the complexity of bidirectional communication or when working with HTTP/1
• Related to: websockets, http

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use HTTP Long Polling if: You want it provides a fallback mechanism for real-time communication, ensuring compatibility and reliability in diverse deployment scenarios, though it may introduce latency and server overhead compared to more modern alternatives and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Server-Sent Events if: You prioritize it is particularly useful in scenarios where you need to avoid the complexity of bidirectional communication or when working with http/1 over what HTTP Long Polling offers.

The Bottom Line

HTTP Long Polling wins

Developers should learn HTTP Long Polling when building real-time features like chat applications, live notifications, or stock tickers in environments where WebSockets are not supported or feasible, such as older browsers or restrictive network configurations