What is the use of WebSocket API ?

A WebSocket connection is a continuous connection between the client and server. The connection begins with every request the client makes from the server and ends with the server’s response. WebSocket is a bidirectional communication protocol based on TCP that standardizes communication between a client and a server, allowing for both parties to request data from one another. In contrast, a unidirectional protocol like HTTP only allows for the client to request data from the server. A websocket is a persistent connection that exists between a client and a server.

You want the latest possible information, such as how to get from Florence to Rome! Most drivers today enjoy real-time data when journeying to any destination, thanks to technologies like WebSocket. What WebSockets do is essentially extend the conversation between the client and a server. The conversation, instead of ending with that query, can continuously update in real-time and in a seamless, automatic way. Alchemy combines the most powerful web3 developer products and tools with resources, community and legendary support. Discover why onchain data is the new growth engine for web3 projects and why leveraging it to improve user engagement is key.

Long polling vs websockets

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Like other types of middleware, the user is rarely concerned with APIs. But developers use them to draw data into their apps and platforms. For instance, many crypto platforms allow you to set up multiple exchanges on one account.

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The server sends the response with the relevant information, and then the client immediately opens another request, holding again until the next update. Long polling can hold a connection open for a maximum of 280 seconds before automatically sending another request. This sets up a tunnel, which provides low-level end-to-end TCP communication through the HTTP proxy, between the WebSocket Secure client and the WebSocket server. In the case of transparent proxy servers, the browser is unaware of the proxy server, so no HTTP CONNECT is sent. Using encryption is not free of resource cost, but often provides the highest success rate, since it would be travelling through a secure tunnel.

From that point, the connection is binary and does not conform to HTTP protocol. A server application is aware of all WebSocket connections and can communicate with each one individually. As WebSocket remains open, either the server or the user can send messages at any time until one of them closes the session.

WebSockets are a great tool, but long polling works reliably in every situation. In this guide, we will explain what WebSockets are, and detail some of the benefits of using them for your real-time application. We will go over the best use cases to implement WebSockets, and discuss other options that you may want to use instead. By the end of this piece, you will have a clearer understanding of what WebSockets are used for and whether or not WebSockets will work for your application’s specific needs. The Send() method simply transmits the desired message to the specified client.

Three key components — APIs, Webhooks, and WebSockets — play a crucial role in facilitating this data exchange. Each serves a specific purpose and is best suited for different scenarios. In this blog, we’ll explore these communication resources and when it’s ideal to what is websocket used for use them. Every frame that the client sends to the server is masked with a 32-bit value. WebSocket demands the use of a client-picked random key for all the payload data. Masking key, when combined with payload data, assists payload data sharing in an XOR operation.

WebHooks can be thought of as reverse APIs, functioning in an opposite manner. This is used for the total length encoding of the payload data in WebSocket. Payload len is displayed when the encoded data length is less than 126 bytes. Once the payload data length is exceeded from 126 bytes, additional fields are used for describing the payload length.

• WebSocket are an essential client-server communication tool and one needs to be fully aware of its utility and avoid scenarios to benefit from its utmost potential.
• This field is present if the mask bit is set to 1 and is absent if the
  mask bit is set to 0.
• Every frame that the client sends to the server is masked with a 32-bit value.
• Because Moralis provides the infrastructure and back end that developers need to build blockchain applications, this means that going to market will be a lot quicker and easier.