A WebSocket is a communication protocol that allows constant two-way communication between a client (such as a web browser) and a server, enabling real-time data exchange. Some of the common uses are:
Real-time web applications such as live chat, online gaming, financial trading platforms, and collaborative tools
Live content updates, for example, social media notifications, live sports scores, or stock market updates
Interactive and dynamic web experiences. For instance, online collaborative editing tools, drawing applications, or virtual classrooms
For security reasons, our Web and Cloud hosting plans only allow for outgoing connections via WebSocket. That is, you can initiate a WebSocket request from your hosting to another server (eg., outside of Hostinger), and upon successful handshake, a dual communication channel is established. You can then send messages to the other server, and the server can respond asynchronously without issues.
If your application requires incoming connections as well as outgoing, you can consider a VPS plan, where you will have maximum configuration flexibility to adapt to your project 🚀
NOTE
It is not allowed for clients to bind to local ports for incoming connections