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Protocols

Protocols

Formats of communication agreed-upon and used by hardware and software systems to exchange messages and transmit information: rules of semantics, syntax, synchronizing, and error recovery.

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HTTP

HTTP is a client-server application layer protocol designed to transfer information between networked devices.

WebSockets vs HTTP: Which to choose for your project in 2023

Pros and cons of HTTP and WebSocket protocols, and when best to use them.

Comparing Socket.IO and HTTP: Key differences and use cases

Insight into the pros and cons of Socket.IO and HTTP, and when best to use them.

HTTP/2

The second major version of the Hypertext Transport Protocol.

The Evolution of HTTP – HTTP/2 Deep Dive

This article covers the limitations of HTTP/1.0 and HTTP/1.1 and how those limitations led to the protocol's evolution to HTTP/2.

HTTP/3

HTTP/3 is the latest iteration of the original HTTP protocol, which powers the World Wide Web (WWW).

HTTP/3 Deep Dive | HTTP/3's value, features, and use cases

A deep dive into HTTP/3, including evolution, use cases, and how to get started.

HTTP/2 vs HTTP/3: A comparison

A deep dive into the similarities and differences between HTTP/2 and HTTP/3, incl. strengths, weaknesses, the past, and the future.

Long polling

Variant of the polling technique used to emulate a push mechanism where pushes are not possible or disallowed.

Guide to HTTP Long Polling - What it is and when to use it

This article is deep dive into the technique known as “long polling”: how it came to be, how it's implemented, and how we use it at Ably.

MQTT

Lightweight, low-bandwidth pub/sub network protocol used for ordered, lossless, bi-directional connections.

The complete guide to MQTT

A conceptual deep-dive into MQTT, how it works, and its uses now and in the future.

MQTT vs. WebSocket - Key differences and when to use them together

Discover the different features, performance characteristics and use cases for MQTT and WebSocket, and how they can be used together.

Server-Sent Events

Server-push technology used for servers to automatically update clients subscribed to event-streams.

An introduction to Server-Sent Events: A WebSockets alternative ready for another look

This page is your introduction to Server-Sent Events (SSEs) - how they work, when to use them, and key considerations and challenges to be aware of.

Socket.IO

Library that enables bidirectional, low-latency communication between web clients and servers, mainly over WebSockets.

Socket.IO vs SockJS

Compare realtime libraries Socket.IO and SockJS on performance, scalability, developer experience, and features.

Socket.IO vs. WebSocket: Key differences and which to use

We compare Socket.IO with WebSocket. Discover how they are different, their pros & cons, and their use cases.

PubNub vs. Socket.IO

PubNub and Socket.IO allow developers to power realtime messaging in web apps for use cases like live chat, multiplayer collaboration, and data broadcast.

Socket.IO: How it works, when to use it, and how to get started

Socket.IO's main use cases, how to get started, ideal use cases, scope for support, where it fits in the realtime landscape.

SignalR vs. Socket.IO: which one is best for you?

Discover the advantages & disadvantages of SignalR and Socket.IO, learn about their use cases, similarities, and differences, and compare their features.

Pusher vs. Socket.IO: which one is best for you?

Pusher and Socket.IO are event-driven solutions developers can use for realtime use cases like live chat, multiplayer collaboration, and broadcasting updates.

Scaling Socket.IO - practical considerations

A review of Socket.IO’s advantages, limitations & performance. Learn about the challenges of using Socket.IO to deliver realtime apps at scale.

Firebase vs Socket.IO: Key differences and which to use

Firebase and Socket.IO are often used to build realtime apps like live chat and multiplayer collaboration. Compare their features, strengths, and limitations.

Comparing Socket.IO and HTTP: Key differences and use cases

Insight into the pros and cons of Socket.IO and HTTP, and when best to use them.

WebSocket

Communications protocol complementary to HTTP, allowing bidirectional message streaming over a single TCP connection.

SockJS vs WebSocket

Discover the key differences between SockJS and WebSocket, how they stack up, and which you should use for your project.

Socket.IO vs. WebSocket: Key differences and which to use

We compare Socket.IO with WebSocket. Discover how they are different, their pros & cons, and their use cases.

WebSocket security

Discover the most common WebSocket security vulnerabilities and how to prevent them through a combination of modern security approaches and testing tools.

SignalR vs. WebSocket: Key differences and which to use

We compare SignalR and WebSocket, two popular realtime technologies. Discover their advantages and disadvantages, use cases, and key differences.

What you need to know about WebSockets and Pub/Sub

WebSockets and pub/sub are often mentioned in the same sentence so they must be related in some way. But what is their relationship, exactly?

Ably vs WebSockets: Choosing the right realtime technology for your app

This page compares Ably with WebSockets, the lower-level protocol that Ably is based on.

PubNub vs. WebSocket: Pros, cons, and key differences

Discover how PubNub and WebSockets compare, including their pros and cons, use cases, key differences, and the available alternatives.

Pusher vs WebSockets: Pros, cons and key differences

Discover how Pusher and WebSockets compare, including their pros and cons, use cases, key differences, and the available alternatives.

TypeScript and WebSockets: client-side engineering challenges

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for TypeScript.

Building realtime apps with Flutter and WebSockets: client-side considerations

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Flutter apps.

The challenge of scaling WebSockets [with video]

Scaling WebSockets for a production system can be challenging in terms of load balancing, fallback strategy, and connection management. Here's how to tackle it.

WebSockets vs HTTP: Which to choose for your project in 2023

Pros and cons of HTTP and WebSocket protocols, and when best to use them.

WebSocket alternatives

Discover 5 alternatives to WebSocket: SSE, long polling, MQTT, WebRTC, and WebTransport.

The history of WebSockets

Learn how WebSocket came to be, and how it's an improvement on earlier HTTP-based techniques for delivering realtime apps.

How do WebSockets work?

Learn how to open a WebSocket connection, send data over it, and then close the connection once it has fulfilled its purpose.

Pros and cons of WebSockets

Discover the advantages and benefits WebSocket brings to the table, as well as its disadvantages and limitations.

What are WebSockets used for?

Learn the answers to questions like: What kind of use cases are WebSockets best suited for? Which companies use WebSockets in production?

How to stream Kafka messages to Internet-facing clients over WebSockets

This article explores how to stream Kafka messages to Internet-facing clients, over WebSockets, via a message broker.

What is WebSocket?

We cover the WebSocket protocol and API, how WebSockets work, WebSocket use cases, pros and cons, WebSocket alternatives, WebSocket scalability, and more.

XMPP vs WebSocket: Which is best for chat apps?

Discover the different features and the pros and cons of both the XMPP and WebSocket protocols - and which is best for chat apps - in our comparison guide.

MQTT vs. WebSocket - Key differences and when to use them together

Discover the different features, performance characteristics and use cases for MQTT and WebSocket, and how they can be used together.

Java and WebSockets: Building dependable realtime apps

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Java.

WebSocket vs REST: Key differences and which to use

Discover the different features, performance characteristics, and use cases for WebSocket - a stateful protocol, and REST - a stateless architectural style.

WebRTC vs. WebSocket: Key differences and which to use

We compare WebRTC with WebSocket. Discover how they are different, their pros & cons, and their use cases.

gRPC vs. WebSocket: Key differences and which to use

Discover the different features, performance characteristics, and use cases for gRPC and WebSockets to help understand which technology suits your needs best.

Scaling WebSockets for virtual events

Learn about the challenges of building dependable virtual event platforms & apps with WebSockets that scale to support millions of concurrent users.

Developing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Unity

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Unity.

Building realtime apps with PHP and WebSockets

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution in PHP.

Building dependable realtime apps with WebSockets and .NET

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for .NET.

Building realtime apps with Ruby and WebSockets

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution in Ruby.

Building dependable realtime apps with Python and WebSockets

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution in Python.

WebSockets and macOS clients: Hard engineering challenges

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for macOS.

WebSockets and iOS: Client-side engineering challenges

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for iOS.

Scaling realtime apps with Golang and WebSockets

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Golang apps.

WebSockets and Swift: client-side engineering challenges

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Swift.

WebSockets and Android apps - client-side considerations

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Android.

Realtime apps with React Native and WebSockets: client-side challenges

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for React Native.

Scaling realtime web apps with JavaScript and WebSockets

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for JavaScript.

Building apps with Xamarin and WebSockets: engineering challenges

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Xamarin.

WebSockets and Mono: client-side engineering complexities

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Mono.

Building realtime apps with Node.js and WebSockets: client-side considerations

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Node.js.

Objective-C and WebSockets: client-side challenges and how to navigate them

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Objective-C.

WebSockets and tvOS apps: client-side engineering aspects you need to consider

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for tvOS.

WebSockets and Cocoa: client-side engineering challenges

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for Cocoa.

Using WebSockets for iPadOS apps: hard engineering challenges

Learn about the many challenges of implementing a dependable client-side WebSocket solution for iPadOS.

WebSub

Open, event-driven push transport protocol for distributed pub/sub communications using webhooks.

WebSub – A deep dive

What WebSub is, how it works, and its challenges.

XMPP

XML-based messaging protocol for realtime data transmission between distributed systems.

XMPP vs WebSocket: Which is best for chat apps?

Discover the different features and the pros and cons of both the XMPP and WebSocket protocols - and which is best for chat apps - in our comparison guide.