Typically, the data that your device needs is managed by the server. There are two main communication methods for importing data from servers over the network: Http communication and Socket communication, and today we’re going to look at the differences between these two methods.
Http communication
How the server responds only to requests from clients, sends that information, and immediately terminates the connection
Http communication is a method in which the server responds only to requests from the Client, processes them, and then disconnects. This connection is one-way communication in which the server responds only when the client sends the request, and the server cannot send the request to the client. To help you understand, let’s take an example of a situation in which you’re coming into a blog to see this article. As soon as you clicked on the link for this article, the Client asked you to send it to the server. The connection is terminated immediately after receiving the contents of this article. Therefore, when you send a request, it takes time to wait for the content and connect with it. These Http communications are not real-time connections, but easy to use content-oriented data that accesses the server only when necessary. If Socket communication is used to maintain a real-time connection to request the contents of the post, the connection is still established for communication even after receiving the post, which is under load. In general, mobile applications often request information to the server only when necessary, and these Web servers primarily use Http communications and are good for most aspects, including cost and maintenance.
Characteristics of Http Communication
- One-way communication in which the server responds only when the client sends a request.
- After receiving a response from the server, the connection is terminated immediately.
- Not a real-time connection, but useful for situations where requests are sent to the server only when necessary.
- Mainly used in the development of applications (Android or Ios) that send requests and wait for responses from the server.
Socket Communication
How the Server and Client communicate in real time through a specific Port
Unlike Http communication, Socket communication is a way for two-way communication in real time as the server and the client form a connection through a specific port. Unlike Http communication, which sends requests only when the client is required, Socket communication is used frequently when real-time communication is required because the server can also send requests to the client and is a connection oriented communication that maintains a continuous connection. For example, if you want to send and receive information immediately, such as live streaming or real-time chatting. For instance, suppose you have implemented a real-time video streaming service as Http communication. In such a case, users must continue to send Http communications until the moment the video is terminated, and this structure will be under load because it will continue to request connectivity. Therefore, it is appropriate to implement it through Socket in this case.
Characteristics of Socket Communication
- It is a two-way communication that keeps the server and the client connected.
- Used when the server and the Client need to send and receive data in real time.
- Often used in cases such as real-time video streaming or online games.