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Socket.IO
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<p>Socket.IO is an <a href="/facts/Event-driven_architecture/THC25H6E">event-driven</a> library for real-time <a href="/facts/Web_application/BLkF3BIN">web applications</a>. It enables real-time, bi-directional <a href="/facts/Communication/EGEkchsT">communication</a> between <a href="/facts/Web_client/2pfyymLs">web clients</a> and servers. It consists of two components: a <a href="/facts/Client_(computing)/u0wlVsWI">client</a>, and a <a href="/facts/Server_(Computing)/dEaYFD7r">server</a>. Both components have a nearly identical <a href="/facts/Application_programming_interface/GMlN4vUr">API</a>. </p><p>Socket.IO is also a protocol, where different complying implementations of the protocol can communicate with each other. The main implementation consists of two parts: a client that runs in the <a href="/facts/Web_browser/2pfyymLs">browser</a> and a server for <a href="/facts/Node.js/FKzhV4Qa">Node.js</a>. Apart from the main implementation, there are multiple implementations, for example, the official <a href="/facts/Deno_(software)/m1xyHIPE">Deno (JavaScript)</a>, <a href="/facts/C%252B%252B/Et0F2qn9">C++</a>, <a href="/facts/Java_(programming_language)/9ScgFyAL">Java</a>, <a href="/facts/Python_(programming_language)/YbuGqofa">Python</a>, and <a href="/facts/Swift_(programming_language)/A7qHQC32">Swift</a> servers. </p><p>Socket.IO primarily uses the <a href="/facts/WebSocket/NcQrqpnv">WebSocket</a> protocol with polling as a fallback option, while providing the same interface. Although it can be used simply as a <a href="/facts/Wrapper_library/b61otW6r">wrapper</a> for WebSockets, it provides many additional features such as heartbeats and timeouts. </p><p>It can be installed with the <a href="/facts/Npm/DdAuC7wt">npm</a> (Node Package Manager). </p>