Learn about how to implement real-time updates using Node.js, TypeScript, and PostgreSQL through HTTP long polling without WebSockets. Unlike traditional solutions, this guide explains how a system handles worker nodes and agent states efficiently using this “old-school” approach. The content dives into the challenges faced by the backend, the innovative approach of long polling, and the benefits it brings in terms of observability, authentication simplicity, infrastructure compatibility, and operational ease. It also delves into why the authors chose raw long polling over ElectricSQL and provides best practices for implementing long polling effectively while discussing the considerations for WebSockets as an alternative.
https://www.inferable.ai/blog/posts/postgres-nodejs-longpolling.mdx