In web development, real-time communication (RTC) refers to any system where data is transmitted instantly (or near-instantly) between clients and/or servers, allowing live interaction. This is widely used in chat apps, gaming, collaborative editing, video conferencing, live notification, and IoT dashboards.
Basics of Real-Time Communication
Unlike traditional request/response (HTTP):
- HTTP: Client requests -> Server responds -> End.
- RTC: Data flows asynchronously and continuously.
Real-time communication usually has:
- Low latency (milliseconds)
- Bi-directional flow (client <-> server)
- Persistent connections (no constant reconnects)
Traditional Web Communication (Request/Response)
Originally, websites worked on a request/response model:
- Browser (client) sends HTTP request -> Server responds -> Connection closes
- This is synchronous and stateless:
Example:
GET /page.html HTTP/1.1
Host: example.comServer responds:
HTTP/1.1 200 OK
Content-Type: text/html
<html>...</html>Limitations:
- Server cannot send updates on its own.
- Client must constantly “poll” the server for new data
- High latency for dynamic interaction.
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