User: WebSocket_Learner
Subject: WebSockets vs polling for real-time web app
Developing real-time dashboard that shows sensor data updates. Should I use WebSockets or just do polling every few seconds with AJAX? What are tradeoffs? WebSockets seem complicated to implement.

Reply by: RealTimeWeb_Expert
WebSockets are definitely better for real-time applications. Polling wastes bandwidth because you're constantly making requests even when no new data. WebSockets maintain persistent connection and server pushes data when available. Yes initial setup is bit more complex but libraries like Socket.io make it very easy. For production real-time app, always choose WebSockets over polling.

Reply by: FullStack_Pragmatist
Depends on your scale and update frequency. If updates are once every 30 seconds and you have only 10-20 clients, polling is simpler and works fine. If you need sub-second updates or have hundreds of concurrent users, then WebSockets are necessary. Also consider Server-Sent Events (SSE) as middle ground - simpler than WebSockets but more efficient than polling for one-way server to client communication.