JSONP vs WebSockets

Developers should learn JSONP when working with legacy systems or APIs that require cross-domain requests without CORS support, such as in older web applications or third-party services that only offer JSONP endpoints 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.

JSONP

Nice Pick

Developers should learn JSONP when working with legacy systems or APIs that require cross-domain requests without CORS support, such as in older web applications or third-party services that only offer JSONP endpoints

Pros

• It is particularly useful for fetching data from external APIs in scenarios where modern CORS headers cannot be implemented, though it has security risks like potential XSS vulnerabilities and should be used cautiously
• Related to: javascript, ajax

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. JSONP is a concept while WebSockets is a protocol. We picked JSONP based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

JSONP wins

Based on overall popularity. JSONP is more widely used, but WebSockets excels in its own space.