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🦥 WebSockets For Dummies

🦥 WebSockets For Dummies

The Coding Sloth
December 31, 2024

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Sloths can’t throw up

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A sloth’s esophagus does not go in a straight line from mouth to stomach, but instead has a loop in it. This loop prevents sloths from being able to vomit so they have to be very careful not to eat anything that makes them sick!

WebSockets For Dummies

Ever wondered how chat apps update instantly or how stock trading apps let you know when you lost all your money?

Let me introduce you to WebSockets and explain when you actually need them.

What Are WebSockets?

WebSockets are a communication protocol that allows for real-time, two-way communication between a client and a server

Think of WebSockets like a phone call between your browser and the server (instead of sending individual letters back and forth like regular HTTP).

When to Use WebSockets

✅ Perfect for:

Live chat applications
Real-time gaming
Live sports updates
Collaborative editing
Stock market tickers
Live dashboards

❌ Don't use for:

Simple form submissions
Image uploads
Regular CRUD operations
One-way data flow
Infrequent updates

HTTP vs WebSockets

HTTP is like sending letters back and forth:

Client: "Hey, any updates?"
Server: "Nope"
Client: "How about now?"
Server: "Still no"
Client: "Now?"
Server: "Yes! Here's an update"

WebSockets are like a phone call:

Client: "Hey, let's connect"
Server: "Alright we’re connected I’ll start sending updates!"
Server: "Here’s an Update!"
Server: "Another update!"
Server: "More updates!"

The client no longer has to ask the server for updates.

Why WebSockets for Real-time?

Lower Latency
- No need to establish new connections
- Updates arrive instantly
Less Bandwidth
- No repeated HTTP headers
- No polling when there's no data
True Real-time
- Server can push data anytime
- No waiting for client to ask
More Efficient
- Fewer server resources
- Less network traffic
- Battery friendly for mobile

Think of it like the difference between:

Checking your mailbox every minute for a letter (HTTP)
Getting a phone call as soon as there's news (WebSockets)

No more wasting resources constantly asking "are we there yet?"

// HTTP: Keep asking "Any updates?"
setInterval(() => {
  fetch('/api/updates')
    .then(data => console.log(data))
}, 1000)

// WebSockets: Get notified when updates happen
const ws = new WebSocket('ws://myserver.com')
ws.onmessage = (event) => {
  console.log("Got update:", event.data)
}

WebSockets sound awesome why not use them for everything?

Read this stack overflow post to understand better

What are the pitfalls of using Websockets in place of RESTful HTTP?

I am currently working on a project that requires the client requesting a big job and sending it to the server. Then the server divides up the job and responds with an array of urls for the client to

stackoverflow.com/questions/29925955/what-are-the-pitfalls-of-using-websockets-in-place-of-restful-http

Real World Examples

Chat App
- Users need instant messages
- Typing indicators
- Online status updates
Multiplayer Game
- Player positions
- Game state changes
- Real-time interactions
Trading Platform
- Price updates
- Order confirmations
- Market alerts

When to Stick with HTTP

Blog posts
User profiles
Product catalogs
Payment processing
File uploads

Remember

WebSockets maintain an open connection
Perfect for real-time, two-way communication
Use regular HTTP for simple request-response
Consider server resources and scaling
Not every app needs real-time updates

Now you know when to use WebSockets and when to stick with regular HTTP. Your users (and servers) will thank you.

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