What is WebSocket?

WebSocket is a term used to describe a communication protocol. It allows a client and a server to connect and send data to each other. When the server receives and accepts an HTTP request from the client, a session is established. This process is also known as the handshake. 

Once the session has been established between the client and the server, both participants are able to send and receive arbitrary data which means that data is transmitted in both directions. The server acknowledges the client’s messages when it sends a response back to the client.

A WebSocket can also be defined as an open connection between the client and the server. 

In order to use a WebSocket, you need to open up a port in your firewall and set up your web server.

The HTML WebSocket API can be used to transfer large amounts of data between the client and the server while maintaining an open connection throughout the entire process. 

One of the main advantages of a WebSocket is that its connections have the ability to maintain themselves indefinitely, unlike HTTP. Additionally, web applications that use WebSockets have been known to minimize latency.

WebSockets are an ideal option in regards to the transmission of large amounts of data. That is because any amount of data can be easily transmitted from the server to the client without the server having to receive another request for more data from the client. Also, it ensures that no data is lost during the transmission process. 

There are many use cases for a WebSocket such as real-time web pages, real-time social feeds, real-time gaming with multiple players, messengers and chat rooms, live video streaming, and many others.

Let’s have a deeper look into some of these examples:

• Real-time web applications. When the client needs to constantly receive updates regarding a specific situation, WebSockets are especially useful. For example, trading platforms utilize this communications protocol to provide the latest price movements;
• Real-time gaming applications. Gaming applications can take advantage of WebSockets by allowing real-time connections. Since the connection between the client and the server is stable and open, data can be transmitted without the need to make another connection to receive said data. This way, the user interface (UI) does not need to be refreshed;
• Messengers and chat rooms applications. In this case, the WebSocket is utilized to establish a connection and use it to send multiple messages to multiple users.