Different Between HTTP protocol and Websocket protocol
Hi everyone, have you been curious to know the difference between http and websocket protocol and what they are used for? well, this blog just did justice to that. This is just an introductory class, more will be coming your way with code example. with no further ado, lets start.
HTTP and WebSocket are both protocols used for communication between clients and servers over the internet, but they differ in several key ways. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is a request-response protocol that has been the foundation of the world wide web since its inception. In contrast, WebSocket is a bidirectional protocol that enables real-time communication between clients and servers.
here's the analogy:
Imagine you’re sending letters to your friend who lives far away. You write a letter, put it in an envelope, and send it through the mail. Your friend reads the letter, writes a response, puts it in an envelope, and sends it back to you. This is like HTTP, where each request and response is like a letter that’s sent independently of any previous letters.
Now imagine you’re talking to your friend on the phone. You can talk and listen in real-time, without having to wait for the other person to finish talking before you can respond. This is like WebSocket, where the connection between the client and server is like a phone call that’s maintained for as long as you need it.
So, HTTP is like sending letters through the mail, while WebSocket is like talking on the phone. They both get the job done, but one is better for real-time communication and frequent back-and-forth, while the other is better for sending static information.
One of the main differences between HTTP and WebSocket is the way they handle connections. HTTP is a stateless protocol, which means that each request and response is independent of any previous requests and responses. The server doesn’t retain any information about the client between requests, so if the client wants to send additional requests, it has to start a new connection each time. This can be inefficient for applications that require frequent and persistent communication between the client and server.
WebSocket, on the other hand, is a stateful protocol that maintains a long-lived connection between the client and server. Once the connection is established, data can be sent and received between the client and server in real-time, without the need for the client to repeatedly open and close connections. This makes WebSocket ideal for applications that require frequent and persistent communication, such as real-time chat applications or online gaming platforms.
Another difference between HTTP and WebSocket is the way they handle data. HTTP is a text-based protocol, which means that all data sent between the client and server must be in the form of plain text. This can be a limitation for applications that require sending binary data, such as images or audio files. To work around this limitation, HTTP applications often use encoding schemes like base64 to convert binary data into text.
WebSocket, on the other hand, is a binary protocol that can handle both text and binary data natively. This makes it more efficient for applications that require sending binary data, as there’s no need to encode and decode the data before sending and receiving it.
In terms of security, both HTTP and WebSocket support encryption through HTTPS and WSS (WebSocket Secure), respectively. HTTPS and WSS use SSL/TLS encryption to secure the data transmitted between the client and server, ensuring that it can’t be intercepted by unauthorized parties.
In summary, HTTP and WebSocket are both protocols used for communication between clients and servers over the internet, but they differ in their connection handling, data handling, and security mechanisms. HTTP is a request-response protocol that’s ideal for static web pages and resources, while WebSocket is a bidirectional protocol that’s ideal for real-time communication and applications that require frequent and persistent communication.
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