Building Real-time Features with WebSockets

Introduction to WebSockets

WebSockets provide full-duplex communication channels over a single TCP connection, enabling real-time data exchange between client and server.

Socket.io Implementation

Socket.io is a popular library that simplifies WebSocket implementation with automatic reconnection, room support, and fallback options.

Core Concepts:

• Event-based communication
• Room and namespace management
• Broadcasting and acknowledgments
• Middleware and authentication

Connection Management

Properly handling connections, disconnections, and reconnections is crucial for building robust real-time applications.

Scaling Considerations

Learn about horizontal scaling with Redis adapter, load balancing strategies, and handling state across multiple server instances.

Security Best Practices

Implement proper authentication, validate all incoming messages, and use HTTPS/WSS in production environments.