Ably and PubNub are real-time infrastructure platforms that utilize pub/sub messaging as their foundational technology. They allow developers to build a wide range of real-time applications, including live chat, data broadcasting, data synchronization, multiplayer collaboration, GPS location tracking, and more.
Despite their versatility and broad applicability, Ably and PubNub are not particularly popular for building user-to-user chat applications. This is due to certain limitations and challenges that arise when using these platforms for chat functionality, which we will explore in this blog.
In this blog, we will delve into the core functionalities of both PubNub and Ably, comparing their strengths and weaknesses to determine which is most suited for building real-time applications. Additionally, we will also discuss why you should consider other alternatives if your primary use case is user-to-user chat.
Using PubNub to build chat
While PubNub boasts a wide range of real-time functionalities, it's also used for building chat applications.
Recognizing the demand for chat-specific solutions, PubNub recently introduced a chat SDK built on top of its core JavaScript SDK. This new SDK is designed to streamline the process of building chat applications, enabling developers to implement chat functionality more quickly and easily.
Alongside this SDK, PubNub offers UI kits with pre-made components, further simplifying the development process.
Limitations of PubNub’s chat SDK
1. Framework-specific SDK
The new chat SDK is written in TypeScript and currently available only for JavaScript-based frameworks. Developers working with other technologies (e.g., Angular, Vue.js) will need to find alternative solutions or invest more effort in integration.
2. Less maturity and testing
Having been released just a year ago, the chat SDK is relatively new. It may not be as extensively tested or proven as more mature solutions, potentially leading to stability and reliability concerns.
3. Limited UI support
PubNub's pre-built chat UI components are currently limited to React and React Native. Developers using other frameworks will need to build their own UI components from scratch, increasing development time.
Using Ably to build chat
Ably does not provide a chat-specific SDK. Developers need to use the general pub/sub messaging SDK to build chat functionality, which requires more time and effort to implement all the necessary features from scratch.
Without a dedicated chat SDK, developers must implement many chat-specific functions themselves, such as
Implementing logic for sending and receiving messages between users.
Managing user online/offline status for chat visibility.
Building functionality to notify users when others are typing.
Developing features to enable file sharing within the chat.
Each of these features requires custom development and thorough testing to ensure a seamless user experience. Unlike PubNub, Ably does not offer UI kits or ready-made UI components tailored for chat applications to help expedite the building process.
Limitations of using Pub/sub based solutions for chat use case
01.
Neither Ably or Pubnub guarantee message delivery or order by default. Messages might be dropped if a subscriber loses connectivity or exceeds queue limits.
02.
While both platforms boast robust features, extensive customization beyond their functionalities is challenging.
03.
Both PubNub and Ably don't offer pre-built UI kits and instead rely on SDKs for integration.
04.
While PubNub and Ably can't directly handle voice and video calls themselves, they can be used as a foundation for building such features. However, this requires integration with third-party voice/video calling services.
Cometchat: A better alternative to Ably and PubNub
Unlike PubNub & Ably, CometChat is a robust chat infrastructure platform that helps developers seamlessly integrate chat functionality into their applications. By offering strong SDKs, UI kits, and sample apps for all popular front-end frameworks, CometChat enables developers to quickly create custom chat features tailored to their platform.
We understand the significant role of chat in industries such as telehealth, marketplaces, social communities, and dating, and aim to transform chat into an operational hub rather than just a communication tool using interactive messages.
CometChat stands out as a superior alternative to both Ably and PubNub, offering several unique capabilities like:
01.
Prioritizes time-to-market with ready to go, modular and flexible UI Kits for all popular front end frameworks.
02.
Cometchat offers chat, in-app calling, and video calling as a unified product. There is no need to engage with multiple vendors or navigate various dashboards, as CometChat provides a single solution for all real-time communication needs.
03.
Extensive documentation, sample codes, and tutorials, making it easier for developers to integrate and customize chat features.
04.
Global servers, low latency, and support for 1 million+ concurrent connections ensure your platform remains smooth and responsive, regardless of the number of users.
Direct Comparison of PubNub, Ably & CometChat
| Features | PubNub/ Ably | CometChat |
|---|---|---|
UI Kits
| PubNub provides some UI components for chat, but they are limited to React and React Native. Ably does not offer any UI kits or ready-made UI components.
| Comes with a variety of pre-built UI kits and components that support all popular frameworks, allowing developers to create a polished and professional chat interface quickly and easily.
|
Development effort
| Requires substantial development effort and extensive customisation to implement chat-specific features. Ably lacks chat-specific SDKs and UI components, adding to the development time.
| Dedicated chat SDK and a comprehensive suite of pre-built UI components, significantly reduces development effort.
|
Core chat features
| Provides basic chat features like real-time messaging, presence, and message history, but lacks out-of-the-box support for advanced chat functionalities. Everything beyond basic messaging needs to be developed from scratch.
| Comes with a comprehensive set of core chat features, including typing indicators, read receipts, message reactions, file sharing, voice and video calling, and more. These features are readily available, allowing developers to implement them quickly and easily.
|
Moderation
| Does not offer built-in moderation tools. Developers need to create their own moderation system, including features like message filtering, user banning, and reporting.
| Provides extensive moderation features out-of-the-box, including profanity filters, user banning, and reporting tools.
|
Notifications
| Supports push notifications, but developers must set up and manage notification services themselves, adding to the complexity.
| Offers built-in integration for push notification, email and sms notifications.
|
Analytics and insights
| Provides basic analytics for message counts and connection events. For advanced analytics, developers need to integrate third-party services.
| Pricing can be high, especially as the application scales. Costs are based on the number of transactions and data usage, which can become expensive for high-traffic applications
|
Pricing
| Pricing can be high, especially as the application scales. Costs are based on the number of transactions and data usage, which can become expensive for high-traffic applications
| Free build plan for up to 25 MAUs. Paid plans start at $119/month. Voice calling is charged at $0.001 /user minute Video calling is charged at $0.003 /user minute.
|
AI features
| Does not offer built-in AI features. Developers need to integrate third-party AI services for functionalities like sentiment analysis or chatbots.
| AI-powered features like sentiment analysis, intent detection, smart replies, etc. Helps build AI chatbots.
|
Aarathy Sundaresan
Content Marketer , CometChat