Pushing data from the server to the client is a problem almost as old as the Web. In the early days, developers had to rely on ingenuity to achieve data push, often resulting in novel solutions like polling that compromised on performance. However, as the demand for realtime features surged, dedicated methods to send data from the server emerged. Today, you have four options: Which one is best?

Elasticity – the ability of software infrastructure to adapt and scale to fluctuations in usage – is an essential part of realtime updates. Elasticity is not a new problem but for realtime update systems, the challenge is different in two major ways: In a previous article, we walked through the fundamentals that comprise a successful realtime update infrastructure.

Live chat is the most common type of realtime web experience. Embedded in our everyday lives, we use messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Slack daily to keep in touch with friends and family, and to communicate and collaborate at work. With live chat functionality also prominent across e-commerce, live streaming, and e-learning experiences, end users have come to expect (near) instant message receipt and delivery.

You're overseeing your delivery logistics from your dashboard when an alarming notification surfaces - one of your drivers has had a minor accident and they're unable to finish their route. You start considering your options. Is there a replacement driver close by? Is there a spare vehicle available for the original driver? Just as you're figuring things out, another alert arrives: your driver is okay and the delivery is still on time.

Live chat is everywhere. From connecting distributed workers across continents, through providing an efficient customer service channel, to bringing together online communities, chat is central to how we communicate. This demand puts an unusual level of pressure on chat app operators to make sure that every message reaches its destination, every time.

The drive for constant innovation in realtime experiences across chat, collaborative tools, and interactive dashboards has never been greater. Ably surveyed over 500 engineering leaders who have delivered realtime experiences, so that we can share their insider knowledge on what it takes, the challenges faced, and how they would recommend approaching it.

Each business (regardless of industry) and every software developer has latency on their radar. Yet, it's typically not at the top of the priority list, and generally, that's just fine. But when it comes to the world of realtime updates, this casual attitude can trip you up. When you're piecing together a system for realtime updates, low latency jumps from being an afterthought to a critical, front and center requirement.

Stay on top of issues and easily forecast usage for Ably-powered realtime applications in your out-of-the-box Datadog dashboards. Cloud-based applications providing live user experiences at scale need to measure their realtime infrastructure’s state and health at all times. Imagine a customer support chat system supporting thousands of businesses or a live sport event delivering updates to millions of fans.

Let's talk about a problem all baseball fans know all too well: you're stuck in traffic or buried under a mountain of work, and there's no way you're going to make it home in time for the game. An average baseball game clocks in around three hours, and sometimes, life doesn't afford you that kind of leisure time. Here, apps promising live game updates become a lifeline for the busy fan. However, that's where we hit a snag.

Failure is the norm. Out of the thousands of consumer products launched each year, 80% fail. For tech start-ups, the situation is marginally more favorable but, even so, only one in ten succeed. The companies that make it all have one thing in common: a focus on product adoption. From launch through to maturity, ensuring that people are signing-up for and using your product is an almost perfect proxy for product-market fit.