Writing · Nº 041065 essays
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Clear filtersEngineeringHow to Build Multiplayer Cursors and SelectionsMultiplayer cursors and selections are high-frequency ephemeral state. Throttle them, never persist them, and broadcast only to the room to keep editing feel live.EngineeringServer-Sent Events vs WebSockets: Which to UseServer-sent events vs WebSockets is a question of direction. Here is when one-way SSE beats a full socket, and when you actually need bidirectional real-time.EngineeringHow to Rate-Limit Real-Time ConnectionsHTTP rate limits do not cover WebSockets. Rate-limit real-time connections at connect, per message, and per subscription, or one client can flood your whole server.EngineeringReal-Time Latency Is a Product Decision, Not a MetricReal-time latency is not one number to minimize. It is a product decision about what has to feel instant. Here is how to set a latency budget that actually fits.EngineeringSeparate Chat History From Live DeliveryChat history and live message delivery are two systems, not one. Treat the durable log and the real-time channel separately or you will lose messages at scale.EngineeringSend Deltas, Not Full State, in Real-Time AppsBroadcasting full state on every change kills real-time apps. Send deltas: only what changed. Learn when diffs beat snapshots and how to keep clients in sync.EngineeringHow to Handle Reconnection in Real-Time AppsReconnection is where real-time apps quietly break. Here is how to handle WebSocket reconnection with backoff, session resume, and message replay that keeps state intact.EngineeringHow a Pub/Sub Backplane Scales WebSockets Across ServersScaling WebSockets past one server needs a pub/sub backplane so clients on different machines still get every message. Here is how the backplane pattern works.EngineeringReal-Time Database vs a Custom BackendA real-time database syncs data automatically, a custom backend gives you control. Here is how to choose between real-time sync and your own real-time backend.EngineeringA Collaborative Editor's Cost Is Per Document, Not Per UserA real-time collaborative editor scales by document, not by user count. Learn why the doc room is your unit of cost and capacity, and how to keep idle docs cheap.EngineeringAuthorize Every Real-Time Subscription, Not Just the MessageReal-time authorization belongs at subscribe time, per channel, re-checked on reconnect. Client-side filtering is not security. Here is how to authorize subscriptions.EngineeringDo You Actually Need WebSockets?Do you need WebSockets, or is real-time overkill for your app? A straight answer on when persistent connections earn their cost and when simpler options win.