Dynamic

Polling vs Server-Sent Events

Developers should use polling in scenarios where real-time updates are not critical, server-side push technologies (like WebSockets or Server-Sent Events) are unavailable or too complex, or for lightweight applications with low-frequency data changes 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.

🧊Nice Pick

Polling

Developers should use polling in scenarios where real-time updates are not critical, server-side push technologies (like WebSockets or Server-Sent Events) are unavailable or too complex, or for lightweight applications with low-frequency data changes

Polling

Nice Pick

Developers should use polling in scenarios where real-time updates are not critical, server-side push technologies (like WebSockets or Server-Sent Events) are unavailable or too complex, or for lightweight applications with low-frequency data changes

Pros

  • +It is commonly applied in APIs for checking job statuses (e
  • +Related to: long-polling, webhooks

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 Polling if: You want it is commonly applied in apis for checking job statuses (e 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 Polling offers.

🧊
The Bottom Line
Polling wins

Developers should use polling in scenarios where real-time updates are not critical, server-side push technologies (like WebSockets or Server-Sent Events) are unavailable or too complex, or for lightweight applications with low-frequency data changes

Disagree with our pick? nice@nicepick.dev