Web Sockets Overview

Web Sockets Overview

šŸŒ WebSockets ā€“ Overview for Web Developers

WebSockets are a protocol that enables real-time, full-duplex communication between a client (browser/app) and a server over a single, long-lived connection.

šŸ§  Unlike HTTP, which is one-way and request-response based, WebSockets allow both client and server to send messages anytime.

šŸ”„ What Are WebSockets?

  • Introduced in HTML5

  • Starts as an HTTP request, then “upgrades” to a WebSocket connection

  • Uses ws:// or wss:// (secure)

āœ… Key Features

FeatureDescription
šŸ” Full-duplexTwo-way communication (client ā†” server)
ā±ļø Real-timeNo polling, ideal for live updates
šŸ“¶ PersistentConnection stays open until closed by either party
šŸ“‰ Low overheadAfter the handshake, uses fewer bytes than HTTP

šŸ§° Use Cases

  • šŸ—Øļø Live chat apps

  • šŸ“ˆ Stock tickers & live dashboards

  • šŸŽ® Multiplayer games

  • šŸ“ Collaborative editing (e.g., docs)

  • šŸ”” Push notifications

  • šŸš— Real-time location tracking

āš™ļø How It Works

  1. Client initiates a connection:

    http
    GET /chat HTTP/1.1
    Upgrade: websocket
    Connection: Upgrade

  2. Server accepts and switches protocol:

    http
    HTTP/1.1 101 Switching Protocols
    Upgrade: websocket
    Connection: Upgrade

  3. Both can now send messages freely over that socket.

šŸ‘Øā€šŸ’» Simple WebSocket Client Example

js

const socket = new WebSocket('ws://localhost:3000');

socket.onopen = () => {
console.log(‘Connected!’);
socket.send(‘Hello Server’);
};

socket.onmessage = (event) => {
console.log(‘Message from server:’, event.data);
};

socket.onclose = () => {
console.log(‘Disconnected’);
};

šŸ”§ Server-Side Example (Node.js + ws)

js
const WebSocket = require('ws');
const server = new WebSocket.Server({ port: 3000 });

server.on(‘connection’, (ws) => {
console.log(‘Client connected’);

ws.on(‘message’, (msg) => {
console.log(‘Client said:’, msg);
ws.send(‘Hello from server!’);
});
});

šŸ” Security

ConcernSolution
Use HTTPSUse wss:// instead of ws://
AuthSend tokens/cookies during handshake
XSS/XSRFUse validation, sanitization
ThrottlingLimit connections/messages per IP

šŸ§  WebSocket vs HTTP vs SSE

FeatureWebSocketHTTPSSE (Server-Sent Events)
DirectionTwo-wayOne-wayOne-way (server ā†’ client)
Persistentāœ…āŒ (request/response)āœ…
Real-timeāœ…āŒāœ…
Supported by all browsersāœ…āœ…Partial (not IE)

šŸ›  Popular Libraries

LanguageLibrary
Node.jsws, Socket.IO
Pythonwebsockets, FastAPI
Gogorilla/websocket
JavaSpring WebSocket, Jetty
Frontendnative WebSocket, socket.io-client

āœ… Summary

WebSocket =Real-time + Persistent + Bidirectional
Protocolws:// or wss://
Use forChat, games, live feeds, notifications
BonusLightweight, low latency

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