Long Polling
Long polling is an HTTP technique that emulates real-time push: the client's request stays open until the server has data to return, and the client immediately re-issues a new one.
Purpose
It emulates server push where WebSocket/SSE are unavailable, offering the widest compatibility.
Mechanism
The client sends a request; the server holds it without responding until an event or timeout, then replies. On receiving the response, the client sends a new request at once, keeping one "pending" request open at all times to emulate a push channel.
Use cases
- Compatibility-first real-time communication
- Push for legacy browsers
- IM applications
Related tools
HTTP Status Codes
Reference table of common HTTP status codes (1xx-5xx) with names, categories, and descriptions. Free, private, and 100% client-side. TOOL
URL Parser
Parse a URL into its components: protocol, host, path, query, hash, port, username, and password. Free, private, and 100% client-side. TOOL