Socket.io is successfully used in a variety of projects. Most often, these are chats built into web applications, but it can also be an interactive report for customers, with counters and charts that are updated online. The library is used for browser-based games where it is also important to transfer data instantly, such as poker, as well as web applications with the ability to collaborate on remote editing. In addition, Socket.IO is suitable for implementing push notifications.
SOCKET.IO
Socket.IO is a JavaScript library for two-way data exchange between web clients and servers in real time. One of its components is responsible for working in the browser, and the other, with the same API, on the server. As a result, users of a web application can exchange messages in a chat, edit files together, monitor online metrics, etc. Socket.IO is equally fast and secure in any browser, regardless of the operating system or device.
WebSocket is a computer communication protocol that provides full-duplex client-server communication over a TCP connection with minimal costs. To put it simply, usually, the UI of an application (client) can transmit requests to the backend (server), but this communication does not work in the opposite direction. Thanks to websockets, which are responsible for the two-way exchange of information, your “client” does not have to ask every time if the “server” has a message for you. Logically, this reduces development costs, system resources, and waiting time. The latter is reduced to such an extent that we can talk about real-time.
Socket.io is one of the best JavaScript libraries for organizing this instant two-way exchange.
Socket.io can transmit more than just text. Pictures, video, and audio in various formats - whatever multimedia or other type of file your users want to share, it will be delivered to the recipient. You can use it to start a stream and create applications that use geolocation.
You can use Socket.io from the first project launch and beyond, without any restrictions. The library has excellent horizontal scaling capabilities - it can handle any number of users.
It only takes a couple of lines of code for users of your app to immediately see that they have written “hello” to each other in a chat. Connecting and configuring the library may take different amounts of time depending on your tasks, but it will never take weeks or months.
Socket.IO is used in such high-load projects as Microsoft Office and Trello and thousands of others. The list of the most famous services alone takes up ⅘ of the Socket.IO homepage. The GitHub community loves this library, especially for its dependence on the NPM (Node Package Manager) module, which guarantees the accuracy and correctness of data transfer. Socket.IO is the first solution that almost all JavaScript developers will offer you if you need to organize two-way communication.
Socket.IO is the most popular JavaScript library among those that can be used for two-way data transfer without delay for the user. It simply and efficiently performs tasks of varying complexity and is widely used in e-commerce, gaming and entertainment services, and complex business projects. It is easy to connect and configure to enable your users to communicate, play, and work remotely, sending and receiving any data instantly.