WebSockets & Full-Duplex Web

Traditional HTTP is half-duplex: the client asks, the server answers. For collaborative tools (Figma, chat apps, live trading), WebSockets upgrade an HTTP connection into a persistent, bidirectional TCP channel.

Real-Time Web Technologies Comparison

1. Short / Long Polling

Repeated HTTP requests. High server load and header byte overhead.

2. Server-Sent Events (SSE)

Unidirectional (server → client) stream over standard HTTP. Ideal for live feeds and AI LLM chat streaming.

3. WebSockets (`ws://`, `wss://`)

Full-duplex bidirectional communication with tiny 2-byte framing overhead.

Quick Summary

WebSockets eliminate HTTP handshake overhead for continuous two-way data streaming.
Next, we explore Internet Security, TLS & Attacks.