Let’s say you visit a crypto exchange website to check the altcoin price. Normally, your browser sends an HTTP request, gets the price as a response, and that’s it. But while you’re on the page, the price changes, and you have to refresh the page to see the latest value.
WebSockets solve this problem by creating a persistent connection between the client and the server, allowing the server to instantly send updates as soon as something changes.
Basically, it’s like the difference between:
❌ Constantly asking: "Hey, what’s the $WBT price now?"
✅ Simply listening to the server, which tells you: "Hey, the price just updated, here’s the new value!"
Where Are WebSockets Especially Useful?
📌 Crypto exchanges – Prices, orders, and trading volumes must update instantly.
📌 Chats and messengers – Messages should arrive without delays.
📌 Online games – Everything must happen in real-time, not via page refreshes.
And that’s when it hit me: all major crypto exchanges, including OKX, CoinBase, and WhiteBIT, use WebSockets for real-time price updates. Otherwise, imagine looking at an outdated price and placing an order that is no longer relevant – that would be a disaster.
What I Learned About WebSockets?
1️⃣ They’re not as scary as they seem – Implementing them in code is easier than I thought.
2️⃣ They save resources – Instead of endless requests, you have one open connection that just works.
3️⃣ They make working with crypto more efficient – If you're building crypto-related apps, you'll need WebSockets sooner or later.
My Conclusion
If you’re a junior dev like me and you’re still afraid of WebSockets – don’t be. It’s an awesome technology that makes applications faster and more efficient.
The best way to understand them is to try them out! Even a simple WebSockets-based chat or a real-time crypto price feed will give you a clear understanding of how they work – and bring you one step closer to becoming a senior dev!
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