Comet: A Pattern for Server Push

Server push, a technique for enabling bidirectional communication between a server and web clients, has gained significant interest in recent times. The Comet design pattern emerges as a promising approach for implementing server push in JavaScript applications. This question explores the availability of jQuery implementations and general resources for the Comet pattern.

jQuery Implementations

The jQuery ecosystem offers several libraries that implement the Comet pattern, providing a seamless integration with jQuery's powerful API. A notable example is the jQuery Comet Plugin, which supports both long-polling and callback-polling mechanisms for establishing connections with servers. This plugin is compatible with server-side implementations such as cometd-jetty and erlycomet, providing a comprehensive solution for server push in jQuery-based web applications.

General Implementations

Beyond jQuery-specific options, there exist standalone implementations of the Comet pattern that can be used independently of any JavaScript framework. Bayeux is a popular protocol for comet-based communication, and it offers implementations in various languages, including Python and Erlang. These cross-platform implementations provide flexibility in building server push applications that can integrate with different client-side technologies.

Documentation and Resources

To deepen understanding of the Comet pattern and its implementation strategies, several documentation and resources are available:

• Bayeux Specification: A detailed specification of the Bayeux protocol, explaining its communication mechanisms and various implementations.
• Google Developer Library: Offers a comprehensive guide to Comet, outlining its benefits, implementation techniques, and potential drawbacks.
• Jelastic: Provides an in-depth article on the Comet design pattern, covering its historical evolution, different implementations, and practical applications in various scenarios.