Server-Sent Events (SSE)

Server-Sent Events (SSE) is a web technology that allows a server to send automatic updates to a web browser over a single, long-lived HTTP connection. It enables real-time communication where the server pushes data to the client without the client needing to request it repeatedly.

SSE is commonly used for live notifications, news feeds, or real-time updates in web applications. Unlike WebSockets, SSE is unidirectional, meaning data flows only from the server to the client. It uses a simple event-driven model and works over standard HTTP, making it easy to implement and compatible with most browsers.

Example: A web page can listen for server updates using JavaScript like this:

const eventSource = new EventSource('/events');
eventSource.onmessage = function(event) {
  console.log('New message:', event.data);
};

This code opens a connection to the server endpoint /events and logs incoming messages automatically.