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What is Real-time? - Definition & Meaning

Learn what real-time means in software, which techniques (WebSockets, SSE) are used, and where it’s applied.

Real-time software delivers data or updates immediately to users without them refreshing. Typically via push: server sends data as soon as it’s available.

What is What is Real-time? - Definition & Meaning?

Real-time software delivers data or updates immediately to users without them refreshing. Typically via push: server sends data as soon as it’s available.

How does What is Real-time? - Definition & Meaning work technically?

Protocols: WebSockets (bidirectional), SSE (server→client). Backend: Socket.io, Pusher, Ably, Supabase Realtime. Polling as fallback.

How does MG Software apply What is Real-time? - Definition & Meaning in practice?

MG Software builds real-time features with Supabase Realtime or Socket.io. We use it for dashboards, chat and live collaboration.

What are some examples of What is Real-time? - Definition & Meaning?

  • Dashboard with live metric updates.
  • Chat with WebSocket connection.
  • Collaborative editor with presence.

Related terms

push notificationsapimicroservices

Further reading

Knowledge BaseWhat is an API? - Definition & MeaningWhat is DevOps? - Definition & MeaningReal-time Dashboard Examples - Inspiration & Best PracticesBest Real-time Collaboration Libraries 2026

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Frequently asked questions

WebSocket for bidirectional; SSE for simple server→client stream.
With pub/sub, Redis for state and horizontal scaling of socket servers.
Fallback to long-polling or SSE where possible.

WebSocket or SSE?

WebSocket for bidirectional; SSE for simple server→client stream.

How do you scale real-time?

With pub/sub, Redis for state and horizontal scaling of socket servers.

What if WebSocket is unavailable?

Fallback to long-polling or SSE where possible.

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