What is Flask-SocketIO and how can I use it?

What is Flask-SocketIO and how can I use it?

Flask-SocketIO is an extension for Flask that enables real-time communication between clients and servers using WebSockets.

Can you give me an example of how to set it up in a Flask application?

Sure! First, install Flask-SocketIO using pip. Then, you can create a simple app like this:

from flask import Flask
from flask_socketio import SocketIO

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

@app.route('/')
def index():
    return 'Hello, World!'

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

How do I emit messages from the server to the client?

You can use the emit function in your server code. For example:

@socketio.on('my_event')
def handle_my_event(data):
    socketio.emit('response_event', {'data': 'Hello from server!'})

What are some common use cases for Flask-SocketIO?

Common use cases include chat applications, live notifications, real-time data updates, and collaborative tools.