Do I need a server to use HTML5's WebSockets?

When using WebSockets, will I need to write server code? In other words, will the JavaScript in my client application need to connect to a specialized server, or will my existing Apache server work to support this?

The server has to support web sockets. After a first handshake in HTTP, the server and the client open a socket connection. The server must be able to understand and accept this handshake.

In my last project we run quite successfully web socket connections using the last Jetty version.

27/02/2014: Now I'm also implementing websockets under .net with XSockets.net and works like a charm, you don't even need a web server (self hosting). The WebSocket implementation of ASP.NET works also quite good.

Yes,you need to write server code.

I recommend another web socket server based on php: ratchet. And this link is benchmarking webSocket servers between ratchet and sockJS.

Complete list of client & server side codes and browsers support please check this link

Of course you need a WebSocket server. But there are many free websocket server in different language, like jWebSocket in Java and SuperWebSocket in .NET, you can use them directly.

There are some plugins currently being developed on google code for Apache...

By definition websockets like normal sockets are client-server so yes, you need a server. However there is an alternative to waiting for Apache plugins.

I am using a hosted server http://www.achex.ca. Its free and you have tutorials in javascript on how to use the server. A good start for websockets development.

The server is basically a message router and you can connect to it and use it as a meeting point for all your websocket clients.

Short Answer: Yes, You need a specialized server, Apache does not come with websockets.
OR
The alternative, check out www.achex.ca.

In such a situation the role of server comes when :

In HTML 5,WebSocket like a fone(2-way comm.) not walky-talky. http protocol upgraded to websocket protocol.(wss:// from ws://) SERVER should be able to open duplex channel and hence AGREE with duplex communication.

Please go through this link : http://www.html5rocks.com/en/tutorials/websockets/basics/

If using php please look at RATCHET.

Thanks.

The Perl Mojolicious server supports web sockets, and implementations can be only a few lines long.

Node.js has several WebSocket libraries but details of the latest, greatest, most supportive of the latest spec vary, so choose carefully.

Apache Active MQ is also worth a look, along with the stomp protocol it implements.