The WebSocket Protocol
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I. Fette, A. Melnikov · 2011-12
Abstract
The WebSocket Protocol defines a full-duplex communication channel over a single TCP connection, designed to be compatible with the HTTP upgrade mechanism. After an initial HTTP handshake that upgrades the connection, WebSocket allows either the client or server to send messages at any time without polling. WebSocket connections use URI schemes ws:// (port 80) or wss:// (port 443 with TLS).
Why This RFC Matters
WebSocket solved a fundamental limitation of HTTP: the inability to push data from server to client without client polling. Before WebSocket, real-time web applications relied on costly techniques like long-polling or server-sent events (SSE). WebSocket enabled a new class of applications — live chat, collaborative editing, real-time dashboards, online gaming, and financial trading platforms — by providing genuinely bidirectional communication with low overhead. The protocol's compatibility with HTTP infrastructure (same ports, HTTP upgrade handshake) eased deployment through existing firewalls and proxies, facilitating rapid adoption in browsers and servers.