A Comprehensive Guide to WebSockets
Published: 2024-03-05 07:15:12

Hey, readers!
 
I'm Shiva Kumar and I work as a junior software developer at Luxoft India. Luxoft has given me several opportunities to work on various projects, which has inspired me to learn the essential processes involved in learning Web sockets.
 
**Introduction**
 
WebSocket is responsible for a server and a client to have full-duplex communication channels over one TCP connection. In other words, it enables a bidirectional communication stream via an HTTP connection, thereby allowing the server to push data to the client without being requested for. This makes it suitable for real time applications such as chat, gaming and trading in financial markets where even slight delays have significant implications. It is an important technology that is becoming more popular in development of real-time applications.
 
**Websockets vs HTTP**
 
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/4ycu5k253aehwgl82hwd.png)
 
 
**WebSocket**
 
Data can be sent back and forth between clients and servers. In simple terms, they are two way.
 
This means that through this link both the server and the client can talk at once independently.
 
**HTTP**
 
The user will send his/her request as an HTTP request from their browser, after which the server waits to receive this particular request before responding accordingly. This type of link therefore moves in one direction only.
 
In this kind of connection, traffic comes from just one end at any given time.
 
Image description
 
**How Does WebSocket Work**?
 
WebSocket grew out of limitations within HTTP technology. For example, in an HTTP-based protocol a client requests resources first then the server responds with relevant content or data on what was asked by the client; thus making HTTP unidirectional.
 
To work around this limitation, users must use long polling, which is a very resource-intensive approach that consumes a lot of server resources hence WebSockets are the best option.
 
WebSockets are full-duplex communication protocols enabling servers to send message-based runtime data without depending on TCP. This is where HTTP parts ways with WebSocket. Therefore, whenever they obtain an HTTP response they continue to reside on TCP and allow for message exchange between the computer’s server and client's computer. Their beginning conversation happens over HTTP strings.
 
**How do WebSockets connect?**
 
The creation of a WebSocket connection involves several steps:
 
![Image description](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/kwsq25mqul1g7u4n8zce.png)
```
// Client-side JavaScript 
var ws = new WebSocket("wss://normal-website.com/chat"); 
//To establish a connection via handshake over HTTP 
GET /Chat HTTP/1.1 
Host:normal-website.com S
ec-WebSocket version: 13 
Seconds WebSocket 
key: wDqumtseNBJdhkihL6PW7w== Connection: Keepalive, Upgrade Cookie: session=KOsEJNuflw4Rd9BDNrVmvwBF9rEijeE2 
Upgrade: WebSocket 
//server accepts the connection and then accepts the handshake response HTTP/1.1 101 
Switching Protocol Connection: Upgrade 
Upgrade: WebSockets 
Sec-WebSocket-Accept: 0FFP+2nmNIf/h+4BP36k9uzrYGk= 
//The connection remains open so it can be used to send messages in both directions
```
 
**Advantages of Using Websockets**
 
A number of advantages make the use of Websockets very useful in building interactive and real-time web applications. They include:
 
WebSockets are used for client server communication using a single TCP connection in real time. The server can initiate the conversation with the client whenever it wants without expecting the client to send requests on its own. It is particularly important in those cases when there is a need for fast and effective communication between a client and server, as in chat, online gaming, or financial trading.
 
Using Websockets it is possible to have several connections through one TCP which reduces server load by initializing new connection for each request by comparison. It works well especially with the applications like this.
 
Real-time communication is cross-platform compatible since support for WebSockets exists in all major browsers including desktops, laptops and smartphones hence making it possible to implement real-time communication on different platforms. Therefore, they are open technologies that can be embedded into other custom applications than just website or web applications.
 
WebSockets which is less latent and it improves the experience of users. It can be used by developers to send real time updates to customers without frequently reloading pages or pollings, all this improves the experience of a user. By using WebSockets, the applications become more responsive, resulting in lesser time between getting user instructions and returning a response from a server, improving the smoothness and ease of use by a user.
 
Those are only few benefits that come with using websockets. In the end, it is powerful tool for building interactive and real-time web applications, so expect it remain significant over next years or even decades. While it may require some additional setup and maintenance than traditional HTTP requests though still being very potent.
 
**flaws in web sockets**
 
Despite its practicality in real time communication, there are several downfalls to websockets that developers should consider prior to implementation into their projects. The list below covers just a few of the main cons.
 
- Complexity
- Overhead
- Security issues
- Compatibility Problems
 
**Conclusion**
 
WebSocket is an important technology for real- time web-based applications that require two-way interactive communication between a client’s browser and the server. The term “real- data transfer without having to request updates from a server, because it maintains ongoing connectivity both ways: client-to-server and vice versa. In internet programming context, websockets stand as a well-known protocol through which clients interact with servers in real-time. Messaging programs, online gaming and stock trading are examples of real-time based on the web which use WebSocket as central implementation technology.