Building a Scalable Real-Time Communication System for Web Application: Recommendations for Low Latency, High Concurrency, and Fault Tolerance

Question

I'm currently working on a web application that requires real-time data synchronization between multiple clients. I need guidance on the recommended technologies and techniques to implement a scalable and efficient real-time communication system. The system should prioritize low latency, support high concurrency, and ensure fault tolerance.

I have explored a few options like WebSocket, Server-Sent Events (SSE), and WebRTC for real-time communication. However, I'm unsure which technology would be the most suitable for my requirements. I have also experimented with different concurrency models and implemented basic event-driven architectures, but I'm seeking guidance on best practices for scaling and optimizing the system's performance.

# Sample code for reference (using Flask and Socket.IO for WebSocket communication)

from flask import Flask, render_template
from flask_socketio import SocketIO, emit

app = Flask(__name__)
socketio = SocketIO(app)

@app.route('/')
def index():
    return render_template('index.html')

@socketio.on('connect')
def handle_connect():
    emit('connected', {'message': 'Connected to the real-time communication system.'})

@socketio.on('message')
def handle_message(data):
    emit('response', {'message': 'Received your message: ' + data['text']})

if __name__ == '__main__':
    socketio.run(app)