Socket.io

Socket.io is the original real-time library that made WebSockets accessible. It handles connection fallbacks, reconnection, and room management—the foundation countless real-time apps are built on.

Key Features:

• Fallback Support - Works even when WebSockets don't
• Rooms - Group sockets for targeted broadcasting
• Acknowledgements - Confirm message delivery
• Reconnection - Automatic reconnection with backoff

Why Socket.io:

• Battle Tested - Millions of apps in production
• Reliability - Handles real-world network issues
• Familiar - Large community, extensive documentation
• Self-hosted - Run on your own infrastructure

Socket.io capabilities:

• Namespaces - Separate connection pools
• Binary Support - Send files and binary data
• Middleware - Intercept and transform events
• Adapters - Scale across multiple servers

Socket.io remains relevant for teams who want to self-host real-time infrastructure. The managed services are often easier, but Socket.io gives you full control at the cost of operational responsibility.