Long Polling vs WebSocket

Developers should learn long polling when building applications that need real-time features but cannot use WebSockets due to browser compatibility or infrastructure constraints meets developers should use websocket when building applications that require real-time, two-way communication, such as live notifications, collaborative editing tools, or multiplayer games, as it reduces latency and server overhead compared to http-based alternatives. Here's our take.

Long Polling

Nice Pick

Developers should learn long polling when building applications that need real-time features but cannot use WebSockets due to browser compatibility or infrastructure constraints

Pros

• It is particularly useful for scenarios like live chat, stock tickers, or collaborative editing tools where immediate data updates are critical
• Related to: websockets, server-sent-events

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

WebSocket

Developers should use WebSocket when building applications that require real-time, two-way communication, such as live notifications, collaborative editing tools, or multiplayer games, as it reduces latency and server overhead compared to HTTP-based alternatives

Pros

• It is particularly valuable in scenarios where frequent, small data updates are needed, as it avoids the overhead of repeated HTTP requests and responses, improving performance and user experience
• Related to: http, real-time-communication

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. Long Polling is a concept while WebSocket is a protocol. We picked Long Polling based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

Long Polling wins

Based on overall popularity. Long Polling is more widely used, but WebSocket excels in its own space.