SignalR in .NET Core offers real-time communication, enabling server-side code to push content updates instantly to connected clients. This contrasts with traditional AJAX-based communication, which relies on client-initiated requests and periodic polling for updates.
Key benefits of SignalR include:
1. Real-time functionality: Instantly update clients without requiring user interaction or page refreshes.
2. Automatic connection management: Handles connection persistence, reconnection, and scaling seamlessly.
3. Broad compatibility: Supports various platforms (web, mobile, desktop) and fallback mechanisms for older browsers.
4. High-level abstraction: Simplifies complex tasks like managing connections, groups, and message handling.
5. Extensibility: Customizable components allow adapting to specific requirements.
SignalR’s main difference from AJAX is its push-based approach, using WebSockets when available and falling back to other techniques (e.g., Server-Sent Events, Long Polling) if necessary. AJAX, conversely, employs a pull-based model where the client must request data explicitly.
