Building Real-time Applications with WebSockets and Socket.io

The Need for Real-time Communication

Modern web applications require real-time features like live chat, collaborative editing, real-time notifications, and live data updates. WebSockets and Socket.io make this possible.

WebSockets vs Traditional HTTP

Unlike traditional request-response HTTP, WebSockets provide full-duplex communication channels, enabling real-time bidirectional data flow between client and server.

Socket.io Features

• Automatic fallback mechanisms
• Room and namespace support
• Broadcasting and multicasting
• Connection recovery and heartbeat
• Cross-platform compatibility

Building a Real-time Chat App

We'll create a complete real-time chat application with user authentication, message persistence, and typing indicators.