Today I spent some time with Tim at work, playing with WebSockets, a new HTML5 feature that only Google Chrome supports so far. WebSockets allow browsers to create and maintain open direct TCP connections to the server, allowing instant communication in both directions. This means that ajax polling is no longer needed to get updates from the server. Instead, the server can send a message directly to the browser at any point in time while the connection is open. Awesome!
Since we are currently working on a C# .Net project, we searched Internet and found this very cool example that we took as a base for a little multiuser game we were working on today: WebSocket Chat
The potential of WebSockets is incredible, specially for online games and multiuser applications.
WebSockets do have massive potential but you don’t need to wait until WebSockets are fully supported. There are already frameworks out there that allow you to do server push.
I’m presently building a service called Kwwika which allows you to push updates though the Kwwika service and to any connected browser or desktop application sessions.
At present Kwwika using HTTP streaming but when WebSockets are more widely supported we’ll use that as a way of connecting to the Kwwika service.
We have a .NET, Silverlight and JavaScript API so feel free to give me a shout if you’d like to have a play with this technology. With our technology you could build, a Sliverlight, .NET desktop and web page (cross platform) chat example. We’ve also got a Java, Flex and C API in the pipeline.
I also see alot of potential in websockets , however i was wondering if you have already used the Kwwika?, would you recommend it?
This new HTML5 feature indeed interesting to play with. Thanks for sharing this post on WebSockets.