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What Are WebSockets and Why Use Them?

WebSockets provide a persistent, real-time connection between your application and the Solana blockchain. Unlike traditional HTTP requests where you repeatedly ask “has anything changed?”, WebSockets let the blockchain notify you instantly when something happens.

Real-Time Updates

Get notified instantly when accounts change, transactions occur, or blocks are produced

Efficient Resource Usage

One persistent connection instead of polling hundreds of HTTP requests

Low Latency

Sub-second response times for time-critical trading and monitoring applications

Standard Protocol

Uses Solana’s official WebSocket API - compatible with all Solana tooling

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Core Concepts

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Subscription Types

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Commitment Levels

Understanding commitment levels is crucial for reliable applications:
Fastest - Transaction processed by a validator but not confirmed
  • Latency: ~400ms
  • Risk: Can be dropped or reordered
  • Use for: Real-time UI updates (with caution)
Want to learn more about commitment levels? Read our comprehensive blog post: Understanding Solana Commitment Levels

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Available WebSocket Methods

The examples in this guide cover the most commonly used WebSocket methods, but Solana’s WebSocket API offers many more subscription types for specialized use cases.

Complete API Reference

Explore all 18+ WebSocket methods. Each method includes detailed parameters, response formats, and examples.

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Implementing Robust Reconnection Logic

WebSocket connections can disconnect for various reasons - network issues, server maintenance, or temporary outages. Production applications must implement reconnection logic to ensure reliability.

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Why Disconnections Happen

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Detecting Disconnections

class ConnectionMonitor {
  constructor(ws) {
    this.ws = ws;
    this.pingInterval = null;
    this.lastPong = Date.now();
    this.isConnected = false;
    
    this.setupEventListeners();
    this.startPingMonitoring();
  }
  
  setupEventListeners() {
    this.ws.onopen = () => {
      console.log('Connected');
      this.isConnected = true;
      this.lastPong = Date.now();
    };
    
    this.ws.onclose = (event) => {
      console.log('Disconnected:', event.code, event.reason);
      this.isConnected = false;
      this.stopPingMonitoring();
    };
    
    this.ws.onerror = (error) => {
      console.error('WebSocket error:', error);
      this.isConnected = false;
    };
    
    // Listen for pong responses (server acknowledgment)
    this.ws.onmessage = (event) => {
      const data = JSON.parse(event.data);
      if (data.method === 'pong') {
        this.lastPong = Date.now();
      }
      // Handle other messages...
    };
  }
  
  startPingMonitoring() {
    this.pingInterval = setInterval(() => {
      if (this.isConnected) {
        // Send ping to check connection health
        this.ws.send(JSON.stringify({
          jsonrpc: '2.0',
          method: 'ping',
          id: Date.now()
        }));
        
        // Check if we received a pong recently
        const timeSinceLastPong = Date.now() - this.lastPong;
        if (timeSinceLastPong > 30000) { // 30 seconds timeout
          console.warn('No pong received, connection may be stale');
          this.ws.close();
        }
      }
    }, 10000); // Ping every 10 seconds
  }
  
  stopPingMonitoring() {
    if (this.pingInterval) {
      clearInterval(this.pingInterval);
      this.pingInterval = null;
    }
  }
}

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Reconnection Strategies

class ExponentialBackoffReconnector {
  constructor(url, maxRetries = 10) {
    this.url = url;
    this.maxRetries = maxRetries;
    this.retryCount = 0;
    this.baseDelay = 1000; // Start with 1 second
    this.maxDelay = 30000; // Cap at 30 seconds
    this.ws = null;
    this.subscriptions = new Map();
    this.isReconnecting = false;
  }
  
  connect() {
    if (this.isReconnecting) return;
    
    try {
      this.ws = new WebSocket(this.url);
      this.setupEventHandlers();
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Failed to create WebSocket:', error);
      this.scheduleReconnect();
    }
  }
  
  setupEventHandlers() {
    this.ws.onopen = () => {
      console.log('Connected successfully');
      this.retryCount = 0; // Reset retry count on successful connection
      this.isReconnecting = false;
      this.resubscribeAll(); // Restore subscriptions
    };
    
    this.ws.onclose = (event) => {
      console.log('Connection closed:', event.code);
      if (!this.isReconnecting) {
        this.scheduleReconnect();
      }
    };
    
    this.ws.onerror = (error) => {
      console.error('WebSocket error:', error);
    };
  }
  
  scheduleReconnect() {
    if (this.retryCount >= this.maxRetries) {
      console.error('Max retry attempts reached. Giving up.');
      return;
    }
    
    this.isReconnecting = true;
    this.retryCount++;
    
    // Calculate delay with exponential backoff + jitter
    const delay = Math.min(
      this.baseDelay * Math.pow(2, this.retryCount - 1),
      this.maxDelay
    );
    
    // Add jitter to prevent thundering herd
    const jitteredDelay = delay + (Math.random() * 1000);
    
    console.log(`Reconnecting in ${jitteredDelay}ms (attempt ${this.retryCount}/${this.maxRetries})`);
    
    setTimeout(() => {
      this.connect();
    }, jitteredDelay);
  }
  
  subscribe(method, params, callback) {
    const id = this.generateId();
    this.subscriptions.set(id, { method, params, callback });
    
    if (this.ws && this.ws.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
      this.sendSubscription(id, method, params);
    }
    
    return id;
  }
  
  resubscribeAll() {
    console.log(`Restoring ${this.subscriptions.size} subscriptions`);
    for (const [id, sub] of this.subscriptions) {
      this.sendSubscription(id, sub.method, sub.params);
    }
  }
  
  sendSubscription(id, method, params) {
    this.ws.send(JSON.stringify({
      jsonrpc: '2.0',
      id: id,
      method: method,
      params: params
    }));
  }
  
  generateId() {
    return Date.now() + Math.random();
  }
}

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Testing Reconnection Logic

// Test disconnection scenarios
class NetworkSimulator {
  constructor(wsManager) {
    this.wsManager = wsManager;
  }
  
  // Simulate network outage
  simulateNetworkOutage(duration = 5000) {
    console.log('Simulating network outage...');
    
    // Force close the connection
    if (this.wsManager.ws) {
      this.wsManager.ws.close(1006, 'Network outage simulation');
    }
    
    // Block reconnection temporarily
    const originalConnect = this.wsManager.connect.bind(this.wsManager);
    this.wsManager.connect = () => {
      console.log('Connection blocked during outage simulation');
    };
    
    // Restore connection after duration
    setTimeout(() => {
      console.log('Network restored');
      this.wsManager.connect = originalConnect;
      this.wsManager.connect();
    }, duration);
  }
  
  // Simulate intermittent connectivity
  simulateIntermittentConnectivity() {
    setInterval(() => {
      if (Math.random() < 0.1) { // 10% chance every 10 seconds
        console.log('Simulating connection drop...');
        this.wsManager.ws?.close(1006, 'Intermittent connectivity');
      }
    }, 10000);
  }
}

// Usage
const simulator = new NetworkSimulator(wsManager);
simulator.simulateNetworkOutage(10000); // 10 second outage
Critical for Production: Implementing proper reconnection logic is not optional for production applications. WebSocket connections will disconnect - plan for it, test it, and monitor it in production.

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Troubleshooting

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Migration from Standard RPC

If you’re currently using HTTP polling, here’s how to migrate to WebSockets: 
// Old approach - HTTP polling
class HTTPAccountMonitor {
  constructor(connection, accountAddress) {
    this.connection = connection;
    this.accountAddress = accountAddress;
    this.interval = null;
    this.lastKnownBalance = null;
  }

  start() {
    this.interval = setInterval(async () => {
      try {
        const accountInfo = await this.connection.getAccountInfo(
          new PublicKey(this.accountAddress)
        );
        
        const currentBalance = accountInfo?.lamports || 0;
        
        if (this.lastKnownBalance !== currentBalance) {
          console.log(`Balance changed: ${currentBalance}`);
          this.lastKnownBalance = currentBalance;
        }
      } catch (error) {
        console.error('Failed to fetch account info:', error);
      }
    }, 2000); // Poll every 2 seconds
  }

  stop() {
    if (this.interval) {
      clearInterval(this.interval);
      this.interval = null;
    }
  }
}

// New approach - WebSocket subscription
class WebSocketAccountMonitor {
  constructor(wsManager, accountAddress) {
    this.wsManager = wsManager;
    this.accountAddress = accountAddress;
    this.subscriptionId = null;
  }

  start() {
    this.subscriptionId = this.wsManager.subscribe(
      'accountSubscribe',
      [
        this.accountAddress,
        { encoding: 'jsonParsed', commitment: 'confirmed' }
      ],
      (data) => {
        const currentBalance = data.value.lamports;
        console.log(`Balance changed: ${currentBalance}`);
        
        // Handle the change immediately - no polling delay!
      }
    );
  }

  stop() {
    if (this.subscriptionId) {
      this.wsManager.unsubscribe(this.subscriptionId);
      this.subscriptionId = null;
    }
  }
}

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Enhanced Capabilities

For applications requiring even more advanced features, consider using LaserStream gRPC:

Historical Replay

Catch up on missed data when your application was offline

Multi-Node Aggregation

Enhanced reliability through data from multiple validator nodes

Higher Throughput

Handle more subscriptions and higher message rates

Enterprise Features

Advanced monitoring, analytics, and custom data pipelines
Ready to Get Started? Check out our WebSocket Quickstart Guide for practical examples and step-by-step implementation guides.