Hey there, and welcome to DevTalk Daily—the podcast where we dive into all things software development, one byte at a time.
Hey there, and welcome to DevTalk Daily—the podcast where we dive into all things software development, one byte at a time.
I’m your host, Jenny, and today we’re talking about something that’s become a must-have in modern applications: real-time features.
You know what I’m talking about—live chats, instant notifications, dashboards that update without you refreshing the page. In a world where users expect everything now, real-time is no longer just a nice-to-have. It’s essential.
But here’s the thing: many of us are still working with traditional REST API architectures, which weren’t really built for real-time communication. So, how do we bridge that gap? How can you keep your trusty REST setup but still deliver that real-time magic?
Stick with me for the next few minutes, because we’re going to break it down.
Why REST Isn’t Real-Time (But Can Be)
Let’s start with the basics.
REST APIs are based on a simple model: the client sends a request, and the server responds. It’s a great fit for things like fetching data or submitting a form—but not so great if you want the server to push updates as they happen.
So does that mean you have to toss out REST and start from scratch?
Absolutely not.
There are ways to add real-time functionality to REST-based systems without rewriting everything. And we’re about to go over the four most common and effective methods.
Techniques to Add Real-Time to REST
First up: Long Polling.
This one’s been around for a while. It works by having the client make a request, and then… wait. The server holds onto that request until something new happens—like a new message or a change in data.
When the server finally replies, the client immediately sends another request. It’s like a loop. More efficient than polling every few seconds, and it works with most existing REST setups. Great for things like comment updates or lightweight notifications.
Next, let’s talk about WebSockets.
These are the go-to for many real-time apps. Unlike REST, WebSockets give you a full-duplex connection. That means the server can send data to the client whenever it wants—without waiting for a request.
WebSockets don’t replace your REST API—they complement it. You can still use REST for the usual CRUD operations, and bring in WebSockets for live chat, multiplayer updates, or real-time dashboards.
Third option: Server-Sent Events, or SSE.
If your app mostly sends updates from the server to the client, SSE is worth a look. It runs over standard HTTP, and the connection stays open so the server can keep sending data. Think stock prices, weather updates, or server monitoring.
It’s simpler than WebSockets, but keep in mind—it’s one-way only. Server to client.
And finally: Message Brokers.
If you’re building something big—something with multiple services that need to stay in sync—you might want to use a message broker. Tools like Redis Pub/Sub, RabbitMQ, or Apache Kafka let your REST API publish events, and clients can subscribe through a separate real-time channel.
It’s a bit more complex to set up, but for larger platforms, it’s scalable and powerful.
Testing Tools That Keep Up
Alright, so now you’ve built out your real-time features—how do you test them?
A lot of developers turn to Postman alternative for API testing. It’s solid, no doubt. But if you want something faster and lighter, check out Native Rest.
Native Rest is a native REST API client that works on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It’s got a sleek interface, low overhead, and just enough features to help you test REST and WebSocket endpoints side-by-side.
If you’re juggling multiple endpoints and want quick feedback while developing real-time features, this tool’s worth a try.
Wrapping It Up
So here’s the takeaway:
You don’t need to ditch your REST API to go real-time. You can enhance it using the tools we talked about today—long polling, WebSockets, Server-Sent Events, or message brokers—and bring that modern, interactive experience to your users.
Real-time doesn’t have to mean a total rewrite. It’s about building smart, adapting as needed, and using the right tools for the right job.
That’s it for today’s episode of DevTalk Daily! I hope this helped you think differently about how REST and real-time can work together.
If you liked the episode, be sure to subscribe and share it with your fellow developers. And if you’ve got questions or a topic you’d love to hear more about, shoot us a message—we’re always listening.
Until next time, keep building, keep learning, and remember—your code can always be better. See you in the next one.