Alternatives and Comparison

ScaleSocket vs. Websocketd

ScaleSocket is inteded to be a drop-in replacement for websocketd. It supports many of the same features, but allows websocket connections to share a single backend process.

ScaleSocket fully embraces the concept of rooms, and allows routing messages to specific clients.

Additionally ScaleSocket exposes APIs for fetching room metadata, and metrics, which are useful for building lobbies and monitoring.

Other Alternatives

A comparison of tools offering similar functionality. The table highlights which tools support bidirectional communication with a shared backend instance.

Application	Language	Spawn Technology	Channels	Bidirectional connection	Shared backend	Use case
ScaleSocket	rust	processes	stdio, tcp	✓	✓	bidirectional websocket server
plane	rust	docker	http, ws	✓	✓	bidirectional websocket server
websocketd	go	processes	stdio	✓		bidirectional websocket server
websocat	rust	processes	stdio, tcp	✓		all-round tool
gwsocket	c		stdio, pipes	✓	✓	bidirectional websocket stream
wsbroad	rust			✓	✓	websocket broadcaster
websockify	various	processes	tcp	✓	✓	websocket to TCP proxy
agones	go	kubernetes	tcp, udp	✓	✓	gameserver scaler
FastCGI	c	processes	stdio		✓	dynamic websites in 2000's
inetd	c	processes	stdio			dynamic websites in 1990's

Also some servers, such as NGINX and Caddy support spawning processes and CGI with plugins.