[WebSockets vs HTTP](/comparisons/http/)
The fundamental comparison between persistent connections and request-response patterns. Essential reading for understanding real-time communication basics.
Protocol Comparisons: Choosing the Right Real-Time Technology
Making the right choice for real-time communication technology is critical for your application’s success. This comprehensive guide compares WebSockets with alternative protocols, helping you understand the trade-offs and make informed decisions.
[WebSockets vs SSE](/comparisons/sse/)
Server-Sent Events offer a simpler alternative for server-to-client streaming. Learn when SSE might be the better choice.
[WebSockets vs Long Polling](/comparisons/long-polling/)
Understanding the evolution from polling techniques to WebSockets, and when legacy approaches still make sense.
[WebSockets vs WebTransport](/comparisons/webtransport/)
The future of real-time web communication with QUIC and HTTP/3. Discover what’s coming next.
Specialized Protocols
[WebSockets vs MQTT](/comparisons/mqtt/)
IoT and message broker comparisons. Critical for embedded systems and device communication.
[WebSockets vs WebRTC](/comparisons/webrtc/)
Peer-to-peer vs client-server architectures. Essential for video, audio, and direct data channels.
[WebSockets vs gRPC](/comparisons/grpc/)
Microservices and RPC patterns. Important for backend service communication.
[Interactive Decision Guide](/comparisons/decision-guide/)
Can’t decide which technology to use? Our comprehensive decision guide walks you through the key factors and provides personalized recommendations based on your requirements.
At a Glance: Protocol Comparison Matrix
| Protocol | Bidirectional | Browser Support | Complexity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WebSockets | âś… Full | 99%+ | Medium | Real-time apps, chat, gaming |
| HTTP | ❌ Request/Response | 100% | Low | REST APIs, traditional web |
| SSE | ❌ Server→Client | 97% | Low | Live feeds, notifications |
| Long Polling | 🔄 Simulated | 100% | Medium | Legacy support, simple updates |
| WebTransport | âś… Full + Streams | 75% | High | Future apps, unreliable networks |
| MQTT | âś… Pub/Sub | Via bridge | Medium | IoT, message brokers |
| WebRTC | âś… P2P | 95% | High | Video/audio, direct data |
| gRPC | âś… Streaming | Via proxy | High | Microservices, backend |
Key Decision Factors
When choosing between WebSockets and alternatives, consider these critical factors:
1. Communication Pattern
- Bidirectional real-time: WebSockets, WebTransport, WebRTC
- Server-to-client only: SSE, Long Polling
- Request-response: HTTP
- Pub/Sub patterns: MQTT, WebSockets with broker
2. Browser & Infrastructure Support
- Universal support needed: HTTP, Long Polling
- Modern browsers only: WebSockets, SSE
- Cutting edge acceptable: WebTransport
- Native/server only: gRPC, MQTT
3. Complexity & Development Time
- Simplest to implement: SSE, HTTP
- Moderate complexity: WebSockets, Long Polling
- Complex but powerful: WebTransport, WebRTC, gRPC
- Specialized knowledge: MQTT (IoT), WebRTC (media)
Common Use Cases
Real-Time Collaboration
Best Choice: WebSockets
Alternative: WebRTC for P2P
Collaborative editing, shared whiteboards, and multi-user applications benefit from WebSockets’ bidirectional communication and broad support.
Live Data Feeds
Best Choice: SSE for raw protocol simplicity
Alternative: WebSockets with protocol layer for richer features
Stock tickers, news feeds, and monitoring dashboards work well with SSE’s simple server-push model. However, when using WebSocket-based libraries or services that provide protocols on top of WebSockets, you gain automatic reconnection, message queueing, and the ability to add bidirectional features later.
Video/Audio Streaming
Best Choice: WebRTC
Alternative: WebSockets for signaling
Direct peer-to-peer media streaming requires WebRTC, though WebSockets often handle the signaling layer.
IoT Device Communication
Best Choice: MQTT
Alternative: WebSockets for web interfaces
Lightweight pub/sub messaging with QoS guarantees makes MQTT ideal for IoT, while WebSockets bridge to web dashboards.
Microservices Communication
Best Choice: gRPC
Alternative: WebSockets for real-time events
Service-to-service communication benefits from gRPC’s efficiency, with WebSockets handling real-time event streams.
Expert Recommendations
After building real-time systems that reach 2 billion+ devices monthly, here are my key recommendations:
- Start with WebSockets for most real-time applications - mature, well-supported, and battle-tested
- Use SSE when you only need server-to-client communication - simpler and more efficient
- Consider WebTransport for greenfield projects that can wait for broader support
- Implement MQTT for IoT scenarios where devices have constraints
- Choose WebRTC only when you need true peer-to-peer communication
- Reserve gRPC for backend service-to-service communication
While raw WebSocket implementation is possible, most production applications benefit from using established libraries like Socket.IO or commercial services like Ably that handle the complexities of protocols, connection management, and scaling infrastructure.
Getting Started
Ready to implement your chosen protocol? Check out our detailed guides:
- Building a WebSocket Application
- WebSocket Security Hardening
- Infrastructure Configuration Guides
- Language-Specific Implementations
For production-ready real-time infrastructure that handles the complexity of protocol selection, scaling, and reliability, consider using established WebSocket libraries or services that provide robust protocols and APIs on top of WebSockets.
Written by Matthew O’Riordan, Co-founder & CEO of Ably, with experience building real-time systems reaching 2 billion+ devices monthly.