Tools: Why WebSockets Are Overkill for Most Real-Time Apps

The WebSocket Default Problem ## What Most Real-Time Features Really Look Like ## These Are Unidirectional by Nature ## When WebSockets Actually Matter ## What Is Server-Sent Events (SSE)? ## Client (Browser) ## Server (Node.js) ## Why SSE Is a Better Default ## 1. It’s Just HTTP ## 2. Auto-Reconnect Is Built In ## 3. Debugging Is Trivial ## 4. Performance Is Practically Identical ## 5. HTTP/2 Removes Old Limits ## Real-World Uses of SSE ## AI Streaming Responses ## Observability & Monitoring ## Feature Flags & Config Updates ## Where SSE Is Not a Fit ## Common SSE Pitfalls (Solved) ## A Better Mental Model ## The Bottom Line ## 💬 Discussion Everyone reaches for WebSockets when building real-time features. In reality, most applications only need one-way updates — and Server-Sent Events (SSE) handle that better, simpler, and cheaper. Let’s break down when WebSockets actually make sense — and when they don’t. “Real-time” has become shorthand for “use WebSockets.” But that assumption skips a critical question: Who is actually talking? In most real-world applications, the answer is simple: That’s not a conversation. That’s a stream. Yet teams still pay the WebSocket tax: Often for features that never send data back. This is where SSE shines. WebSockets are the right tool when you truly need: This category exists — it’s just much smaller than most teams think. SSE is a long-lived HTTP connection where the server streams updates as they happen. No protocol upgrade. No custom framing. No heartbeat gymnastics. That’s a working real-time stream — no libraries required. SSE runs over standard HTTP (80/443): WebSockets often fail silently in restricted environments. If the connection drops: With WebSockets, reconnection logic is your problem. Want to inspect live data? Instant visibility. No special tooling. The protocol difference is usually milliseconds — invisible to users for dashboards, feeds, and notifications. Old concern: “Browsers limit connections.” Modern browsers and servers already support this. User sends a prompt via POST. Server streams tokens back. Client renders progressively. No bidirectional channel needed. Metrics and logs are server-generated. Clients only watch. SSE keeps the system simple and scalable. Clients listen for changes. They don’t negotiate them. Perfect SSE territory. Avoid SSE when you need: That’s when WebSockets (or WebRTC) earn their place. These are solved problems — not blockers. “Do we need real-time?” “Who speaks, and who listens?” If the server does most of the talking, SSE should be your first choice. WebSockets should be intentional, not automatic. WebSockets are powerful — but often unnecessary. For most real-time features, Server-Sent Events are: Boring technology wins in production. And for server-to-client streaming, SSE is the boring, correct choice. How do you handle real-time features in your apps? Have you ever used WebSockets where SSE would’ve been enough — or the other way around? I’d love to hear real-world experiences. Templates let you quickly answer FAQs or store snippets for re-use. Are you sure you want to hide this comment? It will become hidden in your post, but will still be visible via the comment's permalink. Hide child comments as well For further actions, you may consider blocking this person and/or reporting abuse COMMAND_BLOCK: const source = new EventSource('/events'); source.onmessage = (e) => { console.log(JSON.parse(e.data)); }; Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode COMMAND_BLOCK: const source = new EventSource('/events'); source.onmessage = (e) => { console.log(JSON.parse(e.data)); }; COMMAND_BLOCK: const source = new EventSource('/events'); source.onmessage = (e) => { console.log(JSON.parse(e.data)); }; COMMAND_BLOCK: app.get('/events', (req, res) => { res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/event-stream'); res.setHeader('Cache-Control', 'no-cache'); const interval = setInterval(() => { res.write(`data: ${JSON.stringify({ time: Date.now() })}\n\n`); }, 1000); req.on('close', () => clearInterval(interval)); }); Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode COMMAND_BLOCK: app.get('/events', (req, res) => { res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/event-stream'); res.setHeader('Cache-Control', 'no-cache'); const interval = setInterval(() => { res.write(`data: ${JSON.stringify({ time: Date.now() })}\n\n`); }, 1000); req.on('close', () => clearInterval(interval)); }); COMMAND_BLOCK: app.get('/events', (req, res) => { res.setHeader('Content-Type', 'text/event-stream'); res.setHeader('Cache-Control', 'no-cache'); const interval = setInterval(() => { res.write(`data: ${JSON.stringify({ time: Date.now() })}\n\n`); }, 1000); req.on('close', () => clearInterval(interval)); }); COMMAND_BLOCK: curl -N https://example.com/events Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode COMMAND_BLOCK: curl -N https://example.com/events COMMAND_BLOCK: curl -N https://example.com/events - The server produces updates - The client listens and renders - Harder scaling - Extra debugging pain - Dashboards (metrics, analytics, monitoring) - Notifications & alerts - Activity feeds - Stock or crypto tickers - CI/CD build status - Log streaming - AI response streaming - System health updates - Data flows server → client - Client input (if any) happens via normal HTTP requests - Continuous two-way communication - Client-driven state changes - Ultra-low latency - Binary data transfer - Multiplayer games - Collaborative editors - Live trading terminals - Voice/video signaling - Works behind proxies - Works with CDNs - Works on corporate networks - Works everywhere HTTP works - The browser reconnects automatically - With backoff - With zero code from you - Network latency dominates - Database latency dominates - Rendering time dominates - One TCP connection - Many multiplexed streams - No practical connection cap - Binary streaming - Constant client-side input - Sub-10ms latency guarantees - Peer-to-peer negotiation - Buffered responses → disable proxy buffering - Idle timeouts → send lightweight heartbeats - Horizontal scaling → use Redis/Kafka as a backplane - Authentication → cookies or short-lived tokens - Easier to debug - Easier to scale - Easier to maintain - More reliable in production