How to use Socket for your React and React Native app

introduction

When developing real-time applications with React Native, implementing seamless communication between the client and server is crucial. This is where sockets come into play. Sockets are endpoints for sending and receiving data between a client and a server over a network. They are precious in scenarios where you need bidirectional, low-latency communication, such as in chat applications, real-time notifications, live streaming, and multiplayer gamin

Understanding Sockets and Network Protocols

At a fundamental level, sockets operate over network protocols defining how data is transmitted. The most commonly used protocols with sockets are Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP).

1. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): TCP is a connection-oriented protocol that ensures reliable data transmission between a client and a server. It establishes a connection before data is exchanged and guarantees that data packets arrive in order, without duplication, and with error-checking mechanisms. This makes TCP ideal for applications where data integrity is critical, such as file transfers or web applications.

2. UDP (User Datagram Protocol): UDP, on the other hand, is a connectionless protocol that prioritizes speed over reliability. It sends data packets without establishing a connection and doesn’t guarantee their arrival or order. This makes UDP suitable for time-sensitive applications like online gaming or video streaming, where the occasional loss of data packets is acceptable.

Sockets in React Native

When integrating sockets into a React Native application, developers typically use WebSockets — a protocol built on top of TCP. WebSockets provide full-duplex communication channels over a single, long-lived connection between the client and server. Unlike traditional HTTP requests, which are unidirectional and short-lived, WebSockets enable real-time data exchange with minimal overhead.

Other protocols like HTTP or WebRTC serve different purposes:

• HTTP: A stateless protocol primarily used for fetching resources from a server, suitable for request-response communication but not for real-time applications.

• WebRTC: A protocol designed for peer-to-peer communication, commonly used in video conferencing or direct file sharing between users.

The key difference between WebSockets and these protocols lies in their communication models. While HTTP and WebRTC are designed for specific use cases, WebSockets are optimized for real-time, continuous interaction between a client and server, making them a perfect fit for real-time applications built with React Native.

This article will explore how to implement sockets in a React Native app, focusing on the technical aspects and best practices to ensure efficient and reliable communication.

Implementation

for our example, let’s say we have a real estate app, where we want to fetch newly added real estate each time

step 1: install the socket io package

check the link here

step 2: add the container for the socket

to adhere to best practices and clean code in the react app, we will use a container to put the socket functions on top of our components, to make it easier for them to interact with the Socket functions

The following code does the work:

socket container

step 3: prepare the redux logic

as we are going to use redux, exactly with the Redux toolkit. check this article for more details on how to implement it here.

The idea is to add a new function, that will add the new ‘’property’’ as soon as we get from the socket to the Redux store of listing.

Also, we have a hook to get the first list in an API for the properties, and we have already created the Properties List

step 4: put all the logic together for the PropertyScreen

This code sets up a property screen in a React Native application that listens for real-time updates on new properties via WebSocket and updates the UI accordingly. It ensures that the application is responsive to real-time data and maintains a clean and organized code structure with proper state management and component communication.

Use cases for Socket protocol:

• Real-Time Chat Application: Create a chat app where users can send and receive messages instantly using WebSockets for real-time communication.

• Multiplayer Game: Develop a mobile game that allows multiple players to interact in real-time, such as a card game, quiz game, or battle royale, using sockets for live gameplay.

• Live Collaboration Tool: Build a mobile app that enables users to work together on documents, drawings, or whiteboards in real-time, leveraging sockets to sync changes instantly.

• Real-Time Location Sharing: Implement an app that allows users to share their live location with friends or family members, using sockets to update locations in real time.

• Auction or Bidding Platform: Create a mobile auction app where users can place bids in real-time, with sockets ensuring that all users see the latest bids instantly.

• Live Streaming with Chat: Develop an app for live video streaming where viewers can interact via chat, with sockets ensuring real-time message delivery during the stream.

• Real-Time Stock Market Updates: Build an app that provides live stock market updates, using sockets to push the latest prices and market news to users instantly.

• Sports Score Updates: Develop a mobile app that provides real-time sports scores and updates, with sockets pushing live data to users as the game progresses.

• Real-Time Notification System: Create an app that sends real-time notifications, such as alerts for new messages, system updates, or important events, using sockets to deliver notifications instantly.

• IoT Device Monitoring: Develop a mobile app to monitor and control IoT devices in real-time, using sockets to receive live data and send commands to devices

Conclusion

In conclusion, integrating sockets into a React Native app is a game-changer for delivering real-time features. Sockets allow for seamless, continuous communication between the client and server, making them ideal for applications requiring instant updates, like chat apps, live notifications, or real-time games. By harnessing the power of WebSockets or similar technologies, developers can build highly interactive and responsive mobile experiences. Proper implementation ensures your app stays in sync with user actions, providing a smooth and efficient real-time experience that meets today’s high standards for mobile performance

If you need to integrate Advanced functionalities in your Mobile app, create one from scratch, or need consulting in react native. contact us here and let us do the rest

#ReactNative #WebSockets #RealTime #MobileDevelopment #AppDevelopment #TechInnovation #Coding #JavaScript #MobileApps #DevCommunity #SocketProgramming #RealTimeCommunication #TechNavy