WebSockets

Notes

  • With long polling, the client opens an HTTP connection to the server which keeps it open until sending response. Whenever the server actually has new data it sends the response (source)

  • ws:. This is the new URL schema for WebSocket connections. There is also wss: for secure WebSocket connection the same way https: is used for secure HTTP connections. (source)

  • Leverages TCP connections

  • "full-duplex" connection: Both parties can send messages and receive at the same time

  • Event-based

  • Short-coming is that it's only 1-to-1 -- doesn't natively support many clients talking to each other

  • WebRTC is alternative geared towards browser-to-browser and audio/video

  • New tech that's up-and-coming: WebTransport

    • Basically a better version

    • Faster handshakes

    • Better reliability

  • Can send buffers, blobs, or strings

    • Send JSON by stringifying it

  • Convoluted handshake process, to ensure both parties are sure their using WebSockets requests (source)

  • Has a method of streaming where multiple frams for a message come in separately, and the server decodes whether or not to concatenate them

    • Uses a FIN bit to tell if the message is still going or not (1 for finished)

  • There's a pinging/ponging mechanism, controlled by a frame's opcode

  • Handshake with HTTP, then the TCP connection is opened

Links

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