| Feature | WebSockets | HTTP |
|---|---|---|
| Connection | Persistent | Stateless, closes after request-response |
| Communication | Bidirectional | Request-response only |
| Latency | Low (real-time updates) | Higher (polling needed) |
| Overhead | Lower (single connection) | Higher (multiple requests) |
| Use Cases | Chats, live updates, gaming | Web pages, API requests |