Real-time communication (RTC) enables applications to exchange data instantly with minimal latency. Unlike traditional web communication that relies on request–response cycles, RTC systems maintain continuous connections that allow data to flow instantly between participants.
RTC powers many modern applications such as:
Most web applications follow a request–response model.
Client → Request → Server → Response
The client sends a request and waits for the server to respond. This model works well for tasks like loading webpages or fetching API data but is inefficient for applications that require instant updates.
For example, a chat application using this approach would repeatedly ask the server if new messages are available.
Real-time systems maintain persistent connections, allowing both the client and server to send data whenever needed.
Client ⇄ Persistent Connection ⇄ Server ⇄ Client
This eliminates repeated requests and enables instant updates.