Socket.IO

Socket.IO is a JavaScript library for realtime web applications. It enables realtime, bi-directional communication between web clients and servers. It has two parts: a client-side library that runs in the browser, and a server-side library for node.js. Both components have a nearly identical API. Like node.js, it is event-driven.

Socket.IO primarily uses the WebSocket protocol with polling as a fallback option,^[2] while providing the same interface. Although it can be used as simply a wrapper for WebSocket, 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 npm tool.^[3][4]

Overview

Socket.IO provides the ability to implement real-time analytics, binary streaming, instant messaging, and document collaboration.^[5] Notable users include Microsoft Office, Yammer, and Zendesk.^[6]

Socket.IO handles the connection transparently. It will automatically upgrade to WebSocket if possible. This requires the programmer to only have Socket.IO knowledge.

Socket.IO is not a WebSocket library with fallback options to other realtime protocols. It is a custom realtime transport protocol implementation on top of other realtime protocols. Its protocol negotiation parts cause a client supporting standard WebSocket to not be able to contact a Socket.IO server. And a Socket.IO implementing client cannot talk to a non-Socket.IO based WebSocket or Long Polling Comet server. Therefore, Socket.IO requires using the Socket.IO libraries on both client and server side.

References

External links

• Official website
• socket.io on GitHub