How Real-Time Updates Work
Short polling, long polling, SSE and WebSockets, and when to use each
What you'll learn
- Why short polling wastes most requests
- How long polling and Server-Sent Events work
- How WebSockets give you a two-way connection
- Which one to pick for which job
In this video, we'll look at four common ways to send live updates from a server to a browser: short polling, long polling, Server-Sent Events (SSE), and WebSockets. We'll explore how each one works, their limitations, and the trade-offs involved.
By the end, you'll understand when to use each approach for things like live dashboards, chat applications, multiplayer games, and collaborative editors.
