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104 | Real-Time Revolution: Diving into the World of WebSockets and Long Polling

2025-09-12

#websockets #long polling #nginx #haproxy #caddy #real time

Real-Time Revolution: Diving into the World of WebSockets and Long Polling

Introduction

Modern users expect web applications to work as fast and responsive as native software. Chats, stock quotes, collaborative document editing — all these scenarios require instant data exchange. In this article, we’ll break down how Long Polling works, why it was replaced by WebSockets, and how to properly configure these technologies on popular web servers.

The Real-Time Problem and the First Solution: Long Polling

HTTP was originally designed for the request-response model: the client contacts the server, the server replies, and the connection closes. For dynamic applications, this is inconvenient.

102 | Caddy vs. Traefik vs. HAProxy vs. Nginx vs. Apache: Comparing Web Servers and Proxies

2025-09-06

#Caddy #Traefik #HAProxy #Nginx #Apache #Reverse Proxy #SSL #CI/CD

Caddy vs. Traefik vs. HAProxy vs. Nginx vs. Apache

Introduction

Choosing a web server and reverse proxy today depends on tasks and infrastructure. Caddy, Traefik, HAProxy, Nginx, and Apache are five popular solutions, each with its strengths and weaknesses.

In this article, we’ll compare them by key criteria: philosophy, installation, SSL, CI/CD, and complexity.

Comparison by Key Criteria

CriterionCaddyTraefikHAProxyNginxApache
PhilosophySimplicity, automatic SSLDynamic routing and Service DiscoveryHigh-performance load balancerUniversal web server and proxyClassic web server, static approach
InstallationSingle binaryContainer, requires setupSingle binary, manual configurationOS package, easy installationOS package, easy installation
SSL AutomationBuilt-in, main advantageBuilt-in, part of ecosystemNo (requires external integration, e.g., certbot)Partial (via certbot or modules)Partial (via certbot or modules)
CI/CDVery easy integrationIdeal for microservicesUsed for high-load balancingRequires manual steps, integration possibleRequires manual steps, integration possible
ComplexityLow, beginner-friendlyMedium/high, requires orchestrator knowledgeMedium, more complex configsMedium, rich ecosystemMedium, often bloated configs
PerformanceGood, but not top-tierGoodExcellent, optimized for load balancingExcellentAverage
Best Use CaseLocal development, quick MVPsDocker/Kubernetes, microservicesHigh-load systems, load balancingUniversal choice for web and proxyStatic site hosting, legacy systems

Who Is It For?

🔹 Caddy

Ideal for:

100 | Caddy: A Web Server That Just Works and SSL Out of the Box

2025-09-04

#Caddy #SSL #Let's Encrypt #Reverse Proxy #CI/CD #Docker #Web Server

Caddy: A Web Server That Just Works and SSL Out of the Box

Introduction

In a world where setting up a web server often requires studying complex configuration files, Caddy offers a radically different approach. It is a modern, multifunctional web server, reverse proxy, and certificate authority in one package.

Caddy was created with a single goal: to provide maximum simplicity. If you are tired of the redundancy of Nginx or Apache, then Caddy is what you’re looking for. Its main “killer feature” is fully automatic SSL certificate management, making it an indispensable tool for developers.