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Comparison guide
Socket.io vs Ws
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Ws
240.0 B gzipped
Most Popular
Ws
287.7M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Socket.io
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Socket.io
50/100 quality score
Overall Pick
Ws
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
ws
Simple to use, blazing fast and thoroughly tested websocket client and server for Node.js
287.7M weekly downloads · 240.0 B gzip · Health 85/100
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Choosing between Socket.io and Ws? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.
Downloads & Popularity
Ws leads with 287.7M weekly downloads — roughly 14.8x more. Socket.io has 19.5M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Ws has the smallest gzipped bundle at 240.0 B. Socket.io comes in at 54.5 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Socket.io has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Ws has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.
When to Choose Each
Choose Socket.io if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Ws if you value massive community and ecosystem, minimal bundle footprint, actively maintained, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Socket.io and Ws are solid choices for JavaScript development. Socket.io has the edge in overall health score (85/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is socket.io better than ws?
- It depends on your needs. Socket.io has a health score of 85/100 while Ws scores 85/100. Ws has more recorded weekly downloads (287.7M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
- Which has a smaller bundle size, socket.io or ws?
- Ws has the smaller gzipped bundle at 240.0 B. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use socket.io vs ws?
- Ws has more recorded weekly downloads (287.7M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
- Which is better maintained, socket.io or ws?
- Socket.io has a maintenance score of 100/100. Socket.io scores 100/100 and Ws scores 100/100 on maintenance.
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