Q49: Why are Server-Sent Events (SSE) emerging as an alternative to WebSockets for GraphQL?
WebSockets are bidirectional and stateful, introducing complexity with HTTP/2 proxies, firewalls, and load balancers. Since GraphQL subscriptions are unidirectional (server pushes to client), HTTP-based SSE provides a simpler, firewall-friendly, auto-reconnecting transport mechanism over standard HTTP/2 streams.
Key Takeaways
- SSE operates over standard HTTP streams, making proxy handling and reconnects simpler than WebSockets.
Knowledge Check
What main advantage does SSE have over WebSockets for GraphQL subscriptions?