Agent skill · software engineering · aj-geddes
real-time-features
Implement real-time functionality using WebSockets, Server-Sent Events (SSE), or long polling. Use when building chat applications, live dashboards, collaborative editing, notifications, or any feature requiring instant updates.
Why this skill is useful
Provides specific implementation patterns and best practices for real-time communication that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
Requires http, ws installed locally. About 1k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-03-04. 307 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
Real-Time Features Table of Contents Overview When to Use Quick Start Reference Guides Best Practices Overview Implement real-time bidirectional communication between clients and servers for instant data synchronization and live updates. When to Use Chat and messaging applications Live dashboards and analytics Collaborative editing (Google Docs-style) Real-time notifications Live sports scores or stock tickers Multiplayer games Live auctions or bidding systems IoT device monitoring Real-time location tracking Quick Start Minimal working example: Reference Guides Detailed implementations in the references/ directory: Guide Contents --- --- WebSocket Server (Node.js) WebSocket Server (Node.js) WebSocket Client (React) WebSocket Client (React) Server-Sent Events (SSE) Server-Sent Events (SSE) Socket.IO (Production-Ready) Socket.IO (Production-Ready) Best Practices ✅ DO Implement reconnection logic with exponential backoff Use heartbeat/ping-pong to detect dead connections Validate and sanitize all messages Implement authentication and authorization Handle connection limits and rate limiting Use compression for large payloads Implement proper error handling Monitor connection health Use rooms/channels for targeted messaging Implement graceful shutdown ❌ DON'T Send sensitive data without encryption Keep connections open indefinitely without cleanup Broadcast to all users when targeted messaging suffices Ignore connection state management Send large payloads frequently Skip message validation Forget about mobile/unstable connections Ignore scaling considerations
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills aj-geddes/real-time-features