Polling vs WebSockets
Developers should use polling when building applications that require real-time or near-real-time updates but where server-push technologies like WebSockets are not feasible or necessary, such as in simple dashboards, status monitors, or legacy systems 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.
Polling
Developers should use polling when building applications that require real-time or near-real-time updates but where server-push technologies like WebSockets are not feasible or necessary, such as in simple dashboards, status monitors, or legacy systems
Polling
Nice PickDevelopers should use polling when building applications that require real-time or near-real-time updates but where server-push technologies like WebSockets are not feasible or necessary, such as in simple dashboards, status monitors, or legacy systems
Pros
- +It is suitable for low-frequency updates or scenarios with limited server resources, as it avoids the complexity of maintaining persistent connections, though it may not be optimal for high-frequency or latency-sensitive applications
- +Related to: websockets, server-sent-events
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. Polling is a concept while WebSockets is a protocol. We picked Polling based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.
Based on overall popularity. Polling is more widely used, but WebSockets excels in its own space.
Disagree with our pick? nice@nicepick.dev