Getting Started with SSE (Server-sent Events)

sidverma
2 min readDec 24, 2022

Introduction

Server-Sent Events (SSE) is a technology that enables web applications to receive push notifications from a server. It is a simple and efficient way for web applications to communicate with the server in real-time without having to poll the server for updates.

What are Server-Sent Events?

Server-Sent Events (SSE) is an HTML5 technology that allows web applications to receive push notifications from a server. It is a simple and efficient way for web applications to communicate with the server in real-time without having to poll the server for updates. The server sends data as an event stream, which the browser can then process and display in real time.

Advantages of Server-Sent Events

1. Low Latency: SSEs are designed to be low latency, so they can be used for real-time applications such as chat or gaming.

2. Easy Setup: Setting up SSEs is relatively easy compared to other technologies such as WebSockets or long polling.

3. Cross Browser Support: SSEs are supported by all major browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.

4. Security: SSEs are secure since they use the same origin policy as regular HTTP requests.

Disadvantages of Server-Sent Events

1. Limited Data Types: SSEs only support text data types such as strings or JSON objects, so they cannot be used for binary data types such as images or videos.

2. Limited Browser Support: Some older browsers do not support SSEs, so they may not work on all devices.

3. Limited Protocol Support: SSEs only work over HTTP/HTTPS protocols, so they cannot be used over other protocols such as WebSockets or TCP/IP sockets.

4. Limited Scalability: SSEs are not designed for large scale applications and may not be suitable for high traffic websites or applications that require high scalability.

#server-sent #sse

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