How do I clean up real-time connections in React?
On unmount. For polling, clear the interval in useEffect cleanup. For WebSockets, close the connection and remove listeners. Forgetting cleanup causes leaks and warnings about updating state on unmounted components.
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More FAQs in Real-Time Features in React: WebSockets vs Polling
Use polling for infrequent updates where a slight delay is fine, like a notification count every 30 seconds. Use WebSockets for frequent, instant updates like live chat, live scores, or collaboration, where low latency and efficiency matter.
A persistent two-way connection between client and server where the server can push updates instantly without the client asking. They are efficient for frequent updates and are often used via Socket.IO for reconnection and rooms.
Because it works over plain HTTP with a simple interval the client controls. WebSockets require a WebSocket server and add complexity for connection management, reconnection, and rooms. Polling is simpler to set up.
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