Quick Summary

WebSockets and HTTP serve fundamentally different purposes: HTTP follows a request-response pattern ideal for traditional web applications, while WebSockets maintain persistent, bidirectional connections perfect for real-time communication. Choose HTTP for RESTful APIs and document delivery; choose WebSockets when you need low-latency, bidirectional data flow.

Table of Contents

• At a Glance Comparison
• How HTTP Works
• How WebSockets Work
• Key Differences
• Use Case Analysis
• Implementation Examples
• Conclusion
• Further Reading

At a Glance Comparison

Feature	HTTP	WebSockets
Connection Model	Request-Response	Persistent Bidirectional
Communication	Client initiates	Both parties can initiate
Protocol Overhead	High (headers per request)	Low (after handshake)
Connection Reuse	New connection per request	Single persistent connection
Real-time Capability	Limited (polling required)	Native
Caching	✅ Built-in	❌ Not applicable
Proxies/CDNs	✅ Universal support	✅ Good support*
Stateless	✅ Yes	❌ No (stateful)
Resource Usage	Lower (connection closed)	Higher (connection maintained)
Browser Support	100%	99%+
URL Scheme	http:// or https://	ws:// or wss://

How HTTP Works

HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) operates on a simple request-response model that has powered the web since 1991. Understanding its mechanics is crucial for appreciating when WebSockets become necessary.

The Request-Response Cycle

Client                              Server
  |                                   |
  |--- HTTP Request (TCP Handshake --|->
  |     + Headers + Body)             |
  |                                   |
  |                              [Processing]
  |                                   |
  |<-- HTTP Response (Status +  ------|
  |     Headers + Body)               |
  |                                   |
  [Connection Closed (HTTP/1.0) or   ]
  [   Kept Alive (HTTP/1.1)          ]

Every HTTP interaction follows this pattern:

1. Client initiates: The client always starts the conversation
2. Server responds: The server can only reply to requests
3. Connection lifecycle: Traditionally closed after each request (HTTP/1.0), or kept alive for multiple requests (HTTP/1.1+)

HTTP Headers: The Hidden Cost

Each HTTP request carries significant overhead:

GET /api/messages HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64)
Accept: application/json
Accept-Language: en-US,en;q=0.9
Accept-Encoding: gzip, deflate, br
Connection: keep-alive
Cookie: session=abc123; preferences=theme:dark
Cache-Control: no-cache

This overhead (often 500-2000 bytes) is sent with every request, even for tiny payloads.

HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 Improvements

Modern HTTP versions address some limitations:

• HTTP/2: Multiplexing, server push, header compression
• HTTP/3: QUIC transport, improved latency, better loss recovery

However, they still maintain the request-response paradigm, making them unsuitable for truly bidirectional communication.

How WebSockets Work

WebSockets provide full-duplex communication channels over a single TCP connection, established through an HTTP upgrade handshake.

The Upgrade Dance

Client                               Server
  |                                    |
  |-- HTTP GET with Upgrade Headers ->|
  |                                    |
  |<- HTTP 101 Switching Protocols ---|
  |                                    |
  |===== WebSocket Connection ========|
  |          Established               |
  |                                    |
  |--- WebSocket Frame (minimal ----->|
  |     overhead)                      |
  |                                    |
  |<-- WebSocket Frame (can send -----|
  |    anytime)                        |
  |                                    |
  |<----------> More frames... <------>|
  |                                    |
  |        Connection remains open     |

The initial handshake:

GET /chat HTTP/1.1
Host: example.com
Upgrade: websocket
Connection: Upgrade
Sec-WebSocket-Key: dGhlIHNhbXBsZSBub25jZQ==
Sec-WebSocket-Version: 13

Server response:

HTTP/1.1 101 Switching Protocols
Upgrade: websocket
Connection: Upgrade
Sec-WebSocket-Accept: s3pPLMBiTxaQ9kYGzzhZRbK+xOo=

WebSocket Frames: Minimal Overhead

After the handshake, data is exchanged in frames with just 2-14 bytes of overhead:

      0                   1                   2                   3
      0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
     +-+-+-+-+-------+-+-------------+-------------------------------+
     |F|R|R|R| opcode|M| Payload len |    Extended payload length    |
     |I|S|S|S|  (4)  |A|     (7)     |             (16/64)           |
     |N|V|V|V|       |S|             |   (if payload len==126/127)   |
     | |1|2|3|       |K|             |                               |
     +-+-+-+-+-------+-+-------------+ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - +
     |     Extended payload length continued, if payload len == 127  |
     + - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - +-------------------------------+
     |                               | Masking-key, if MASK set to 1 |
     +-------------------------------+-------------------------------+
     | Masking-key (continued)      |          Payload Data          |
     +-------------------------------+-------------------------------+

Key Differences

1. Connection Lifecycle

HTTP: Short-lived connections (even with keep-alive)

// HTTP: New request for each interaction
fetch('/api/data')
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data));

// Need another update? Make another request
setTimeout(() => {
  fetch('/api/data')  // New request
    .then(response => response.json())
    .then(data => console.log(data));
}, 5000);

WebSocket: Long-lived persistent connection

// WebSocket: Single connection, multiple messages
const ws = new WebSocket('wss://example.com/socket');

ws.onopen = () => {
  console.log('Connected once');
};

ws.onmessage = (event) => {
  console.log('Received:', event.data);
  // Server can send messages anytime
};

// Send multiple messages over same connection
ws.send('message 1');
ws.send('message 2');

2. Communication Direction

HTTP: Client-initiated only

• Client must request data
• Server cannot push unsolicited data
• Polling required for updates

WebSocket: True bidirectional

• Either party can send at any time
• No polling needed
• Real-time push capabilities

3. Protocol Overhead

For a simple “Hello” message:

HTTP Request/Response: ~600 bytes

GET /api/message HTTP/1.1        (27 bytes)
Host: example.com                 (18 bytes)
[Other headers]                   (~500 bytes)

HTTP/1.1 200 OK                  (15 bytes)
Content-Type: application/json    (31 bytes)
[Other headers]                   (~200 bytes)

"Hello"                           (7 bytes)

WebSocket Frame: ~7 bytes

Frame header: 2 bytes
Payload: 5 bytes ("Hello")
Total: 7 bytes

That’s a 98.8% reduction in protocol overhead!

4. State Management

HTTP: Stateless

• Each request independent
• State via cookies/sessions/tokens
• Scalable through statelessness

WebSocket: Stateful

• Connection maintains state
• Server tracks each connection
• Requires sticky sessions for scaling

Use Case Analysis

When to Use HTTP

✅ Perfect for:

• RESTful APIs
• Document/file delivery
• Form submissions
• One-time queries
• Cacheable content
• Microservice communication
• Stateless operations

Example scenarios:

// Fetching user profile
GET /api/users/123

// Submitting a form
POST /api/contact
Content-Type: application/json
{"name": "John", "message": "Hello"}

// Downloading a file
GET /downloads/report.pdf

When to Use WebSockets

✅ Perfect for:

• Real-time chat applications
• Live sports scores
• Multiplayer gaming
• Collaborative editing
• Financial trading platforms
• Live location tracking
• IoT device streams
• Real-time notifications

Example scenarios:

// Real-time chat
ws.send(JSON.stringify({
  type: 'message',
  text: 'Hello everyone!',
  timestamp: Date.now()
}));

// Live trading data
ws.onmessage = (event) => {
  const data = JSON.parse(event.data);
  updatePriceChart(data.symbol, data.price);
};

// Multiplayer game state
ws.send(JSON.stringify({
  type: 'player_move',
  position: { x: 100, y: 200 },
  velocity: { x: 5, y: 0 }
}));

The Gray Area: Hybrid Approaches

Sometimes you need both:

// Use HTTP for initial data load
const response = await fetch('/api/dashboard');
const initialData = await response.json();
renderDashboard(initialData);

// Use WebSocket for live updates
const ws = new WebSocket('wss://example.com/live');
ws.onmessage = (event) => {
  const update = JSON.parse(event.data);
  updateDashboard(update);
};

Implementation Examples

HTTP: REST API Pattern

Node.js

const express = require('express');
const app = express();

// RESTful endpoint
app.get('/api/messages', async (req, res) => {
  const messages = await db.getMessages();
  res.json(messages);
});

app.post('/api/messages', async (req, res) => {
  const message = await db.createMessage(req.body);
  res.status(201).json(message);
});

app.listen(3000);

Python

from flask import Flask, jsonify, request

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/api/messages', methods=['GET'])
def get_messages():
    messages = db.get_messages()
    return jsonify(messages)

@app.route('/api/messages', methods=['POST'])
def create_message():
    message = db.create_message(request.json)
    return jsonify(message), 201

if __name__ == '__main__':
    app.run(port=3000)

Go

package main

import (
    "encoding/json"
    "net/http"
)

func getMessages(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    messages := db.GetMessages()
    json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(messages)
}

func createMessage(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    var message Message
    json.NewDecoder(r.Body).Decode(&message)
    created := db.CreateMessage(message)
    w.WriteHeader(http.StatusCreated)
    json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(created)
}

func main() {
    http.HandleFunc("/api/messages", func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
        switch r.Method {
        case "GET":
            getMessages(w, r)
        case "POST":
            createMessage(w, r)
        }
    })
    http.ListenAndServe(":3000", nil)
}

WebSocket: Real-time Chat Pattern

Node.js

const WebSocket = require('ws');
const wss = new WebSocket.Server({ port: 8080 });

const clients = new Set();

wss.on('connection', (ws) => {
  clients.add(ws);

  ws.on('message', (message) => {
    // Broadcast to all clients
    const data = JSON.parse(message);
    const broadcast = JSON.stringify({
      ...data,
      timestamp: Date.now()
    });

    clients.forEach(client => {
      if (client.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
        client.send(broadcast);
      }
    });
  });

  ws.on('close', () => {
    clients.delete(ws);
  });
});

Python

import asyncio
import websockets
import json

clients = set()

async def handler(websocket, path):
    clients.add(websocket)
    try:
        async for message in websocket:
            data = json.loads(message)
            data['timestamp'] = time.time()

            # Broadcast to all clients
            broadcast = json.dumps(data)
            await asyncio.gather(
                *[client.send(broadcast) for client in clients]
            )
    finally:
        clients.remove(websocket)

start_server = websockets.serve(handler, "localhost", 8080)
asyncio.get_event_loop().run_until_complete(start_server)
asyncio.get_event_loop().run_forever()

Go

package main

import (
    "github.com/gorilla/websocket"
    "net/http"
    "sync"
)

var upgrader = websocket.Upgrader{
    CheckOrigin: func(r *http.Request) bool { return true },
}

type Hub struct {
    clients map[*websocket.Conn]bool
    mutex   sync.RWMutex
}

var hub = Hub{
    clients: make(map[*websocket.Conn]bool),
}

func handleWebSocket(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
    conn, err := upgrader.Upgrade(w, r, nil)
    if err != nil {
        return
    }
    defer conn.Close()

    hub.mutex.Lock()
    hub.clients[conn] = true
    hub.mutex.Unlock()

    for {
        var msg map[string]interface{}
        err := conn.ReadJSON(&msg)
        if err != nil {
            break
        }

        // Broadcast to all clients
        hub.mutex.RLock()
        for client := range hub.clients {
            client.WriteJSON(msg)
        }
        hub.mutex.RUnlock()
    }

    hub.mutex.Lock()
    delete(hub.clients, conn)
    hub.mutex.Unlock()
}

func main() {
    http.HandleFunc("/ws", handleWebSocket)
    http.ListenAndServe(":8080", nil)
}

Client-Side Implementation

HTTP (Fetch API)

// HTTP: Polling for updates
class HTTPPoller {
  constructor(url, interval = 1000) {
    this.url = url;
    this.interval = interval;
    this.lastMessageId = 0;
  }

  async start() {
    this.polling = setInterval(async () => {
      try {
        const response = await fetch(
          `${this.url}?since=${this.lastMessageId}`
        );
        const messages = await response.json();

        messages.forEach(msg => {
          this.onMessage(msg);
          this.lastMessageId = Math.max(this.lastMessageId, msg.id);
        });
      } catch (error) {
        console.error('Polling error:', error);
      }
    }, this.interval);
  }

  stop() {
    clearInterval(this.polling);
  }

  onMessage(message) {
    console.log('New message:', message);
  }
}

// Usage
const poller = new HTTPPoller('/api/messages', 1000);
poller.start();

WebSocket

// WebSocket: Real-time updates
class WebSocketClient {
  constructor(url) {
    this.url = url;
    this.reconnectDelay = 1000;
    this.maxReconnectDelay = 30000;
  }

  connect() {
    this.ws = new WebSocket(this.url);

    this.ws.onopen = () => {
      console.log('Connected');
      this.reconnectDelay = 1000; // Reset delay
    };

    this.ws.onmessage = (event) => {
      const message = JSON.parse(event.data);
      this.onMessage(message);
    };

    this.ws.onerror = (error) => {
      console.error('WebSocket error:', error);
    };

    this.ws.onclose = () => {
      console.log('Disconnected');
      this.reconnect();
    };
  }

  reconnect() {
    setTimeout(() => {
      console.log('Reconnecting...');
      this.connect();
      this.reconnectDelay = Math.min(
        this.reconnectDelay * 2,
        this.maxReconnectDelay
      );
    }, this.reconnectDelay);
  }

  send(data) {
    if (this.ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
      this.ws.send(JSON.stringify(data));
    }
  }

  onMessage(message) {
    console.log('New message:', message);
  }
}

// Usage
const client = new WebSocketClient('wss://example.com/socket');
client.connect();

Conclusion

WebSockets and HTTP serve different purposes in modern web architecture. HTTP excels at request-response patterns, caching, and stateless operations, making it perfect for traditional web applications and RESTful APIs. WebSockets shine in real-time, bidirectional communication scenarios where low latency and server push capabilities are crucial.

Key Takeaways:

1. Use HTTP for RESTful APIs, file transfers, and cacheable content
2. Use WebSockets for real-time features, live updates, and bidirectional communication
3. Consider hybrid approaches that leverage both protocols’ strengths
4. Plan for fallbacks to ensure reliability across all network conditions
5. Monitor and scale appropriately based on each protocol’s characteristics

The choice between WebSockets and HTTP isn’t always binary. Modern applications often benefit from using both protocols strategically, playing to each one’s strengths while mitigating their weaknesses.

Further Reading

• WebSocket Protocol RFC 6455
• HTTP/2 Specification
• HTTP/3 Specification

While raw WebSocket implementation is straightforward, production applications typically benefit from using established libraries like Socket.IO or commercial services like Ably that handle the complexities of protocol selection, connection management, fallback mechanisms, and scaling infrastructure.

---

Written by Matthew O’Riordan, Co-founder & CEO of Ably, with experience building real-time systems reaching 2 billion+ devices monthly.

Phase 1: Parallel Implementation

class HybridClient {
  constructor(httpUrl, wsUrl) {
    this.httpUrl = httpUrl;
    this.wsUrl = wsUrl;
    this.useWebSocket = this.isWebSocketSupported();
  }

  isWebSocketSupported() {
    return 'WebSocket' in window &&
           window.WebSocket.CLOSING === 2;
  }

  connect() {
    if (this.useWebSocket) {
      this.connectWebSocket();
    } else {
      this.startPolling();
    }
  }

  connectWebSocket() {
    this.ws = new WebSocket(this.wsUrl);
    // WebSocket implementation
  }

  startPolling() {
    // Fallback to HTTP polling
    setInterval(() => {
      fetch(this.httpUrl)
        .then(res => res.json())
        .then(data => this.handleData(data));
    }, 1000);
  }
}

Phase 2: Feature Detection and Fallback

class SmartClient {
  async connect() {
    // Try WebSocket first
    try {
      await this.connectWebSocket();
    } catch (error) {
      console.warn('WebSocket failed, falling back to HTTP');
      this.startHTTPFallback();
    }
  }

  connectWebSocket() {
    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
      this.ws = new WebSocket(this.wsUrl);

      this.ws.onopen = resolve;
      this.ws.onerror = reject;

      // Set timeout for connection
      setTimeout(() => {
        if (this.ws.readyState !== WebSocket.OPEN) {
          reject(new Error('Connection timeout'));
        }
      }, 5000);
    });
  }
}

Phase 3: Gradual Rollout

class FeatureFlagClient {
  constructor(config) {
    this.config = config;
    this.transportMethod = this.determineTransport();
  }

  determineTransport() {
    // Check feature flags
    if (this.config.featureFlags.websocketsEnabled) {
      // Check user segment
      if (this.config.user.segment === 'beta') {
        return 'websocket';
      }
      // Percentage rollout
      if (Math.random() < this.config.websocketRolloutPercentage) {
        return 'websocket';
      }
    }
    return 'http';
  }
}

API Design Considerations

When supporting both HTTP and WebSocket:

// Shared message format
const messageSchema = {
  id: 'string',
  type: 'string',
  payload: 'object',
  timestamp: 'number'
};

// HTTP endpoint mirrors WebSocket messages
app.post('/api/messages', (req, res) => {
  const message = validateMessage(req.body);

  // Process message
  processMessage(message);

  // Also broadcast to WebSocket clients
  broadcastToWebSockets(message);

  res.json({ status: 'accepted', id: message.id });
});

// WebSocket handler
ws.on('message', (data) => {
  const message = validateMessage(JSON.parse(data));

  // Same processing logic
  processMessage(message);

  // Broadcast to all clients (WebSocket and SSE)
  broadcastToAll(message);
});

Production Considerations

Load Balancing

HTTP: Simple round-robin works

upstream http_backend {
    server backend1.example.com;
    server backend2.example.com;
    server backend3.example.com;
}

server {
    location /api {
        proxy_pass http://http_backend;
    }
}

WebSocket: Requires sticky sessions

upstream websocket_backend {
    ip_hash;  # Sticky sessions
    server backend1.example.com;
    server backend2.example.com;
    server backend3.example.com;
}

server {
    location /ws {
        proxy_pass http://websocket_backend;
        proxy_http_version 1.1;
        proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
        proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";

        # Long timeout for persistent connections
        proxy_read_timeout 3600s;
        proxy_send_timeout 3600s;
    }
}

Scaling Strategies

HTTP Scaling: Stateless, horizontal scaling

• Add more servers behind load balancer
• No coordination needed between servers
• Cache aggressively
• Use CDNs for static content

WebSocket Scaling: Stateful, requires coordination

• Use Redis Pub/Sub for multi-server communication
• Implement session affinity (sticky sessions)
• Consider connection limits per server
• Plan for graceful connection migration

Monitoring and Debugging

HTTP Monitoring:

// Easy to track with standard tools
app.use((req, res, next) => {
  const start = Date.now();

  res.on('finish', () => {
    const duration = Date.now() - start;
    metrics.histogram('http.request.duration', duration, {
      method: req.method,
      path: req.path,
      status: res.statusCode
    });
  });

  next();
});

WebSocket Monitoring:

// Requires custom instrumentation
class MonitoredWebSocket {
  constructor(ws) {
    this.ws = ws;
    this.connectedAt = Date.now();
    this.messageCount = 0;

    metrics.gauge('websocket.connections', 1, { action: 'increment' });

    ws.on('message', () => {
      this.messageCount++;
      metrics.counter('websocket.messages', 1);
    });

    ws.on('close', () => {
      const duration = Date.now() - this.connectedAt;
      metrics.gauge('websocket.connections', 1, { action: 'decrement' });
      metrics.histogram('websocket.session.duration', duration);
      metrics.histogram('websocket.session.messages', this.messageCount);
    });
  }
}

Security Implications

HTTP Security:

• Well-understood security model
• CORS for cross-origin requests
• CSRF tokens for state-changing operations
• Standard authentication (cookies, tokens)

WebSocket Security:

• No CORS (check Origin header manually)
• CSWSH (Cross-Site WebSocket Hijacking) risks
• Authentication during handshake only
• Need to validate every message

// WebSocket security implementation
wss.on('connection', (ws, req) => {
  // Validate origin
  const origin = req.headers.origin;
  if (!isValidOrigin(origin)) {
    ws.close(1008, 'Invalid origin');
    return;
  }

  // Validate authentication
  const token = extractToken(req);
  const user = validateToken(token);
  if (!user) {
    ws.close(1008, 'Unauthorized');
    return;
  }

  // Attach user to connection
  ws.userId = user.id;

  // Validate every message
  ws.on('message', (data) => {
    try {
      const message = JSON.parse(data);
      if (!validateMessage(message, user)) {
        ws.send(JSON.stringify({ error: 'Invalid message' }));
        return;
      }
      processMessage(message, user);
    } catch (error) {
      ws.send(JSON.stringify({ error: 'Invalid format' }));
    }
  });
});

When to Choose Which

Choose HTTP When You Need:

✅ RESTful operations

• CRUD operations
• Resource-based APIs
• Stateless interactions

✅ Caching benefits

• Static content
• Infrequently changing data
• CDN distribution

✅ Simple request-response

• Form submissions
• File uploads/downloads
• One-time queries

✅ Wide compatibility

• Legacy system integration
• Firewall/proxy traversal
• Universal browser support

Choose WebSockets When You Need:

✅ Real-time bidirectional communication

• Chat applications
• Collaborative editing
• Multiplayer gaming

✅ Low latency updates

• Financial trading
• Live sports scores
• Real-time monitoring

✅ Server push capabilities

• Notifications
• Live feeds
• Event streaming

✅ Efficient high-frequency messaging

• IoT telemetry
• Location tracking
• Sensor data streams

Consider Hybrid Approaches For:

🔄 Mixed requirements

• Initial data via HTTP
• Updates via WebSocket
• Fallback mechanisms

🔄 Progressive enhancement

• HTTP baseline functionality
• WebSocket for enhanced experience
• Graceful degradation

Common Pitfalls and Solutions

Pitfall 1: Using WebSockets for Everything

❌ Wrong approach:

// Don't use WebSocket for simple CRUD
ws.send(JSON.stringify({
  action: 'GET_USER_PROFILE',
  userId: 123
}));

✅ Better approach:

// Use HTTP for request-response
const profile = await fetch('/api/users/123').then(r => r.json());

// Use WebSocket for real-time updates
ws.on('message', (event) => {
  const { type, data } = JSON.parse(event.data);
  if (type === 'PROFILE_UPDATED') {
    updateProfileUI(data);
  }
});

Pitfall 2: Not Handling Connection Failures

❌ Wrong approach:

const ws = new WebSocket('wss://example.com');
ws.onmessage = handler; // What if connection fails?

✅ Better approach:

class ResilientWebSocket {
  connect() {
    this.ws = new WebSocket(this.url);

    this.ws.onclose = () => {
      setTimeout(() => this.connect(), this.backoff());
    };

    this.ws.onerror = () => {
      this.fallbackToHTTP();
    };
  }

  fallbackToHTTP() {
    console.log('WebSocket failed, using HTTP polling');
    this.startPolling();
  }
}

Pitfall 3: Ignoring Protocol Overhead

❌ Wrong approach:

// Sending large payloads frequently
ws.send(JSON.stringify({
  type: 'update',
  timestamp: Date.now(),
  fullStateSnapshot: this.entireApplicationState // 100KB
}));

✅ Better approach:

// Send only deltas
ws.send(JSON.stringify({
  type: 'update',
  timestamp: Date.now(),
  changes: this.getStateChanges() // 1KB
}));

Conclusion

WebSockets and HTTP serve different purposes in modern web architecture. HTTP excels at request-response patterns, caching, and stateless operations, making it perfect for traditional web applications and RESTful APIs. WebSockets shine in real-time, bidirectional communication scenarios where low latency and server push capabilities are crucial.

Key Takeaways:

1. Use HTTP for RESTful APIs, file transfers, and cacheable content
2. Use WebSockets for real-time features, live updates, and bidirectional communication
3. Consider hybrid approaches that leverage both protocols’ strengths
4. Plan for fallbacks to ensure reliability across all network conditions
5. Monitor and scale appropriately based on each protocol’s characteristics

The choice between WebSockets and HTTP isn’t always binary. Modern applications often benefit from using both protocols strategically, playing to each one’s strengths while mitigating their weaknesses.

Further Reading

• WebSocket Protocol RFC 6455
• HTTP/2 Specification
• HTTP/3 Specification
• Building a WebSocket Application
• WebSocket Security Hardening
• Nginx WebSocket Configuration

For production-ready real-time infrastructure that handles both WebSocket and HTTP complexity at scale, explore Ably’s platform, which provides automatic protocol selection, fallback mechanisms, and global scalability.