Network Sockets vs WebSockets

Developers should learn network sockets when building applications that require direct network communication, such as client-server architectures, peer-to-peer systems, or custom protocols 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.

Network Sockets

Nice Pick

Developers should learn network sockets when building applications that require direct network communication, such as client-server architectures, peer-to-peer systems, or custom protocols

Pros

• They are essential for implementing low-level networking features, debugging network issues, or creating performance-critical systems where higher-level abstractions (like HTTP libraries) are insufficient
• Related to: tcp-ip, udp

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

The Bottom Line

Network Sockets wins

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