Web sockets and TCP sockets are both used for network communication, but they serve different
purposes and operate at different levels of
the network stack. Here's a comparison between the two:
### 1. **Protocol Layer**:
- **TCP Socket**: Operates at the **Transport Layer (Layer 4)** of the OSI model. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a low-level protocol
that establishes a connection between two endpoints, allowing data to be sent and received reliably.
- **WebSocket**: Operates at the **Application Layer (Layer 7)**. It is built on top of the TCP protocol and is used for full-duplex
communication between a client (usually a web browser) and a server over a single, long-lived connection.
### 2. **Use Case**:
- **TCP Socket**: Used for general-purpose, low-level data transmission. It's used in applications like SSH, FTP, and custom application
protocols.
- **WebSocket**: Primarily used for real-time web applications where the client and server need to exchange data continuously. Examples
include chat applications, real-time updates, live gaming, etc.
### 3. **Connection Establishment**:
- **TCP Socket**: Connection is established using a three-way handshake (SYN, SYN-ACK, ACK).
- **WebSocket**: Connection starts as an HTTP request (usually over port 80 or 443) and then "upgrades" to a WebSocket connection if both
the client and server agree.
### 4. **Communication**:
- **TCP Socket**: Provides a reliable, ordered, and error-checked stream of bytes. The data is sent in a continuous stream and is delivered in
the same order as it was sent.
- **WebSocket**: Also provides a reliable, ordered communication stream but in the form of messages rather than raw byte streams.
WebSocket supports both text and binary messages.
### 5. **Performance**:
- **TCP Socket**: Since it is lower-level, TCP sockets might offer better performance for specialized applications where developers have fine-
grained control over how data is transmitted.
- **WebSocket**: Designed for ease of use in web applications, it abstracts some complexities, which might introduce minor overhead but is
more than adequate for most web-based real-time applications.
### 6. **Ease of Use**:
- **TCP Socket**: Requires more detailed management of connection, data transmission, and error handling, making it more complex to
implement.
- **WebSocket**: Easier to use, especially in web applications, as it integrates seamlessly with JavaScript and web technologies.
### 7. **Statefulness**:
- **TCP Socket**: Stateful by nature, meaning the connection between the client and server is maintained throughout the communication
session.
- **WebSocket**: Also stateful, maintaining an open connection for continuous communication until explicitly closed by either the client or
server.
### 8. **Security**:
- **TCP Socket**: Security features (like TLS/SSL) need to be manually implemented if required.
- **WebSocket**: Can be used over secure HTTPS (WSS: WebSocket Secure), which provides encryption and security out of the box, similar to
how HTTPS works.
### Summary:
- **TCP sockets** are fundamental building blocks for network communication, providing reliable, low-level, stream-oriented data transfer.
- **WebSockets** are a higher-level protocol designed for web applications, offering full-duplex communication suitable for real-time interaction
with web servers.
Each has its place, depending on the needs of the application being developed.
