TCP Connections vs WebSockets

Developers should learn TCP connections when building networked applications that require reliable data transmission, such as web servers, APIs, real-time communication systems, or any software that depends on stable internet communication 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.

TCP Connections

Nice Pick

Developers should learn TCP connections when building networked applications that require reliable data transmission, such as web servers, APIs, real-time communication systems, or any software that depends on stable internet communication

Pros

• Understanding TCP helps in debugging network issues, optimizing performance (e
• Related to: networking-fundamentals, socket-programming

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

The Bottom Line

TCP Connections wins

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