Real-Time Backend Communication with WebSockets

Traditional HTTP requests are inherently unidirectional: the client asks, and the server answers. Building live features like chat requires a persistent connection.

• WebSockets provide a full-duplex communication channel over a single TCP connection, allowing the server to push updates to the client instantly.
• Scaling WebSockets requires careful architecture. Unlike stateless HTTP requests, maintaining thousands of open WebSocket connections consumes significant server memory.
• Utilizing tools like Redis Pub/Sub helps synchronize WebSocket messages across multiple server instances, ensuring users receive updates regardless of which node they connect to.