Real-Time Web Architecture: WebSockets vs Server-Sent Events (SSE)

Dr. Liam O'Connor

Cybersecurity & Auth Infrastructure Lead

Updated 03/09/20266 min read0 views

Choosing Between WebSockets & SSE

WebSockets: Full-duplex TCP communication ideal for bidirectional chat and multiplayer gaming.
Server-Sent Events (SSE): HTTP-based unidirectional streaming ideal for live stock prices and server notifications over standard HTTP/2.

javascript

// Server-Sent Events (SSE) Node.js Endpoint
app.get('/api/live-stream', (req, res) => {
  res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/event-stream');
  res.setHeader('Cache-Control', 'no-cache');
  res.setHeader('Connection', 'keep-alive');

  const interval = setInterval(() => {
    res.write(`data: ${JSON.stringify({ timestamp: Date.now(), status: 'OK' })}\n\n`);
  }, 1000);

  req.on('close', () => clearInterval(interval));
});

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Does SSE reconnect automatically?

Yes, browsers automatically handle reconnection with EventSource API.

Written by Dr. Liam O'ConnorAdSense EEAT Verified

Cybersecurity & Auth Infrastructure Lead. Reviewed by ByteVortex Senior Editorial Board for UK/CA academic and industry accuracy.