Imagine you’re chatting with a friend online, getting live sports scores, or tracking stock prices; and all this happens in real time without refreshing your browser. This is possible using WebSockets, which is a technology that provides full-duplex communication channel over a single TCP connection between a client (your browser) and a server.
WebSockets may not be the newest or shiniest technology, but they are powering a number of the real-time web applications we use day to day. In this post, we’ll take a deep dive introduction into what WebSockets are, how they work, and best yet show you how to build a simple real-time chat application with them! If you’re building live chats, multiplayer games or collaboration tools — you should reach for WebSockets as your low-level solution for handling real-time communication.
What Are WebSockets?
WebSockets is a communications protocol that provides real-time, bidirectional communication between a client and a server. With traditional HTTP requests the client can only request data from the server, but with WebSockets the server can also send data to the client.
Key Features:
Persistent Connection: WebSockets maintain a single, open connection thus saving overhead of repeated HTTP handshakes.
Low Latency: Updates are instantly pushed hence best for applications needing real-time feedback.
Full-Duplex Communication: Both the client and server can send as well as receive messages at the same time.
Why Use WebSockets?
You may be asking yourself why would I use WebSockets in my application?
1. Real-Time Communication
WebSockets are perfect for applications like:
Live Chat Apps: Messages are sent & received instantly, creating seamless conversation.
Stock Market Tracking: Real-time updates get pushed which keep user posted about the market changes.
Online Gaming: Player actions and updates sync instantly so there is no lag.
2. Reduced Overhead
WebSockets use a persistent connection instead of a series of repeated requests, this saves on bandwidth and reduces the load on the server compared to traditional polling mechanisms.
3. Improved User Experience
WebSockets deliver real-time updates which make smooth and interactive user experience to keep user engagement.
How Do WebSockets Work?
WebSockets have a simple mechanism to establish and maintain a connection:
Handshaking − Handshaking is done by the browser, based on the response of the server.
Open Connection: It keeps the connection open i.e. real-time data exchange can take place.
Data Exchange: Messages can be transmitted in any direction simultaneously-making it full-duplex.
Close Connection: Either party can close the connection when it's no longer required.
Let’s Build a Real-Time Chat App
Now, let’s get hands-on and create a basic chat application where users can send messages. This project will show you how WebSockets work in action.
Step 1: Setting Up the WebSocket Server
Install Node.js on your system.
Install the ws library:
Create a file named server.js with the following content:
Run the server:
Step 2: Creating the Client Interface
Create an index.html file with the following content:
Step 3: Running the App
Start the WebSocket server:
Open the index.html file in a browser. You can do this by simply double-clicking the file or serving it with a local server (e.g., using live-server or a similar tool).
Open the index.html file in multiple browser tabs or windows to simulate multiple users.
Type a message in one tab, and it will appear in real time in all connected tabs.
Real-World Applications of WebSockets
1. Chat Applications
WebSockets power real-time messaging platforms like WhatsApp Web and Slack, ensuring instant communication.
2. Online Gaming
Multiplayer games like Fortnite use WebSockets to synchronize player actions and game states.
3. Collaborative Tools
Tools like Google Docs rely on WebSockets to allow multiple users to edit the same document in real-time.
Conclusion:
WebSockets are a magical tool for building modern, interactive, and real-time web applications. They give us the power to communicate asynchronously between a client and server, enabling us to build unimagined levels of interactivity into our web applications.
With just a few lines of code, WebSockets allow you to build applications that respond in real-time to user actions. Whether you’re building a chat app, or multi-user game, WebSockets are an essential toolbelt for any developer.
And as always — happy coding!
Top comments (1)
Thank you for sharing this informative content.