Overview Socket.IO Serverless Mode (Preview)
Socket.IO is a library that enables real-time, bidirectional, and event-based communication between web clients and servers. Traditionally, Socket.IO operates in a server-client architecture, where the server handles all communication logic and maintains persistent connections.
With the increasing adoption of serverless computing, we're introducing a new mode: Socket.IO Serverless mode. This mode allows Socket.IO to function in a serverless environment, handling communication logic through RESTful APIs or webhooks, offering a scalable, cost-effective, and maintenance-free solution.
Differences Between Default Mode and Serverless Mode
| Feature | Default Mode | Serverless Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Use persistent connection for both servers and clients | Clients use persistent connections but servers use RESTful APIs and webhook event handlers in a stateless manner |
| SDKs and Languages | Official JavaScript server SDKs together with Extension library for Web PubSub for Socket.IO SDK is required; All compatible clients | No mandatory SDKs or languages. Use Socket.IO Function binding to simplified integrate with Azure Function; All compatible clients |
| Network Accessibility | The server doesn't need to expose network access as it proactively makes connection to the service | The server needs to expose network access to the service |
| Feature supports | Most features are supported except some unsupported features: Unsupported server APIs of Socket.IO | See list of supported features: Supported functionality and RESTful APIs |
Next steps
This article provides you with an overview of the Serverless Mode of Web PubSub for Socket.IO.