WebSockets Guide: How They Work, Benefits, and Use Cases

WebSockets represent a significant evolution in web development by facilitating real-time, bidirectional communication between clients and servers, unlike the traditional request-response model. Their ability to maintain persistent connections enables instantaneous data exchange, which is crucial for applications requiring low latency and high interactivity, such as live chat, multiplayer gaming, and real-time collaboration. While WebSockets traditionally demanded substantial server-side infrastructure, modern advancements provide managed solutions that integrate seamlessly into various architectures and serverless frameworks. The technology stands apart from webhooks, which offer one-way communication for event-driven updates, and REST APIs, which operate on a stateless, request/response model. Products like Momento Topics simplify the complexity of WebSockets by managing backend processing, allowing developers to focus on seamless, real-time communication without the need for intricate setups.