node.jssocket.ioengine.io

What's the difference between engine.io and socket.io?


Regarding node.js, I'm using socket.io for real-time socket connection from the client application to the server application. I just heard about engine.io. Is engine.io a replacement for socket.io? I could not find any useful information on engine.io's website.


Solution

  • engine.io is a lower level library than socket.io.

    Engine is to Socket.IO what Connect is to Express.

    If you want the lower level abstraction, use engine.io. If you want a websocket abstraction, keep using socket.io.

    engine.io is of more interest to you if you're building a library/framework on top of socket.io.

    socket.io is of more interest to you if you're building an application on top of socket.io.