WebSocket Server vs Long Polling

Developers should use a WebSocket server when building applications that demand low-latency, real-time communication, such as collaborative tools, live notifications, or interactive dashboards 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 Server

Nice Pick

Developers should use a WebSocket server when building applications that demand low-latency, real-time communication, such as collaborative tools, live notifications, or interactive dashboards

Pros

• It's particularly valuable in scenarios where traditional HTTP request-response cycles are inefficient, such as streaming data or maintaining persistent connections for multiplayer games or IoT device monitoring
• Related to: websocket-client, http-protocol

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 Server is a tool while Long Polling is a concept. We picked WebSocket Server based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

WebSocket Server wins

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