Socket.IO
Original author(s)Guillermo Rauch
Developer(s)Automattic
Stable release
4.7.2 / August 2, 2023 (2023-08-02)[1]
Repository
Written inJavaScript
Operating systemCross-platform
TypeEvent-driven networking
LicenseMIT License[2]
Websitesocket.io

Socket.IO is an event-driven library for real-time web applications. It enables real-time, bi-directional communication between web clients and servers. It consists of two components: a client, and a server. Both components have a nearly identical API.

Socket.IO is also a protocol,[3] where different complying implementations of the protocol can communicate with each other. The main implementation consists of two parts: a client that runs in the browser and a server for Node.js. Apart from the main implementation, there are multiple implementations, for example, the official Deno (JavaScript), C++, Java , and Swift servers.

Socket.IO primarily uses the WebSocket protocol with polling as a fallback option,[4] while providing the same interface. Although it can be used simply as a wrapper for WebSockets, it provides many more features, including broadcasting to multiple sockets, storing data associated with each client, and asynchronous I/O.

It can be installed with the Node Package Manager (NPM).[5]

Overview

Socket.io is an open-source JavaScript library that enables real-time bidirectional communication between a server and multiple clients. It abstracts the underlying transport protocols, such as WebSocket, while providing an API for developers. Socket.io works with both Node.js on the server-side and various web browsers on the client-side.

Applications

  • Chat and Messaging Applications: Socket.io's real-time capabilities make it an option for building chat applications where instant messaging and presence notifications are crucial.
  • Collaboration Tools: Collaborative applications, such as project management tools or collaborative editing platforms, can benefit from Socket.io's real-time communication to synchronize data and facilitate seamless collaboration among users.
  • Real-Time Dashboards: Socket.io enables real-time data visualization and updates in dashboards, monitoring systems, and analytics platforms, allowing users to receive live data and updates without manual refreshing.
  • Multiplayer Games: Socket.io provides the necessary infrastructure for building real-time multiplayer games, allowing players to interact with each other in real-time.

Socket.io has emerged as a JavaScript library for implementing real-time bidirectional communication in web applications. Its feature set make it an option for developers who want to build interactive, collaborative, and real-time applications. By leveraging Socket.io, developers can create engaging user experiences and unlock the potential of real-time communication in their web projects.

Socket.io works with Node.js, a server-side JavaScript runtime environment, allowing developers to run JavaScript code on the server, and enabling development of web applications using the same language on both the client and server sides.


See also

References

  1. ↑ "Releases · socketio/socket.io". GitHub.com. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
  2. ↑ "socket.io/LICENSE at master · socketio/socket.io · GitHub". GitHub. 20 January 2023.
  3. ↑ "Socket.IO Protocol". GitHub. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  4. ↑ "socketio/engine.io". GitHub. 17 January 2023.
  5. ↑ "socket.io". npmjs.org. 31 May 2023.


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