WebSocket vs Long Polling

Developers should use WebSocket when building applications that require real-time features, such as live chat, collaborative editing, online gaming, financial tickers, or live sports updates, as it reduces latency and server load compared to polling techniques like HTTP long-polling meets developers should learn long polling when building applications that need real-time features but cannot use websockets due to browser compatibility or infrastructure constraints. Here's our take.

WebSocket

Nice Pick

Developers should use WebSocket when building applications that require real-time features, such as live chat, collaborative editing, online gaming, financial tickers, 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 multiple clients and a server is critical, such as in dashboards, notifications, or IoT device monitoring, enabling efficient and scalable real-time communication
• Related to: http, real-time-communication

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Long Polling

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

The Verdict

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

The Bottom Line

WebSocket wins

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