nodejs get response from api without refreshing page

Question

EDIT: I started nodejs few days ago and i want to understand one thing. Imagine that i have a nodejs web communicate with API, when i send request (offer for a specific user) i would like to know if user has accepted or declined the offer without refreshing the site. I know there is a way with AJAX, but is there any better solution how can i get state of the offer if it is accepted/declined (if something change)

Every advice is appreciated!

Answer 1

If you want to know in the client when the state of something on the server changes (at some indefinite future time), then here are three options:

1. You can regularly "poll" the server every so often with an ajax call asking for any updates on the offer. The server can then return the current state of the offer and the client can update the status in the current web page.

2. You can create a webSocket or socket.io (socket.io is an API on top of a webSocket) connection from the client to the server. This is a long lasting connection which allows the server to send data to the client at any time. So, anytime the server sees a change in the state of that offer, it can send an update to the client and the client can then modify the current page to show that change.

3. You can use the newer server-sent events which is an extension to http which allows a server to send data to a client to accomplish something similar to the previous option.