Websockets are a way to create a two way communication channel between a client and a server.
The way they work is that the client and server establish a connection which stays open, allowing the client to send messages to the server and the server to send messages to the client without the need to re-establish the connection or make multiple requests.
Websockets are used for things like live updates, chat applications, and anything else that requires real-time communication between a client and a server.
Have a look at some of the packages below for using websockets in React: