In this podcast episode, Lane chats with Kyle Simpson, principal software engineer at Socket Supply, about distributed web apps and the evolution of the web. They discuss the origins of the web, the shift from decentralized gaming to centralized servers, running web applications on mobile devices using native wrappers, decentralizing data storage, the difference between TCP and UDP protocols, efficient transfer of video and files, and the use cases for distributed web apps.
Socket Supply aims to transform traditional web applications into installable native apps by providing a small runtime that runs within the web view.
Socket Supply advocates for a distributed, peer-to-peer model of the web to address privacy concerns, limited access, and unnecessary performance optimizations.
Socket Supply's approach of peer-to-peer distribution reduces bandwidth usage, improves efficiency, and allows for personalized and dynamic web app experiences.
Deep dives
Socket Supply: Redefining the Web's Architecture
Socket Supply is a startup aiming to redesign the architecture of the web. Their approach involves providing a small runtime that wraps around traditional web applications, transforming them into installable native apps. Unlike other platforms like Electron or React Native, Socket Supply's runtime does not require writing backend logic in a separate process. Instead, the entire app, including UI and logic, runs within the web view. They focus on exposing the full capabilities of the device, such as file system access, Bluetooth, and networking, through APIs that resemble Node.js. By leveraging the native web view on popular computing platforms, Socket Supply aims to create lightweight, targeted, and performant app experiences.
Decentralizing the Web and Reimagining E-commerce
Socket Supply challenges the centralized nature of the modern web. They advocate for a more distributed, peer-to-peer model and envision a future where the web is owned and controlled by individuals, not corporations. They argue that the web's centralization has led to privacy concerns, limited access for those without sufficient resources, and unnecessary performance optimizations. The company suggests that functionality such as e-commerce can still be achieved in a decentralized manner using technologies like peer-to-peer networks. Instead of relying on large centralized databases, with all the data stored in the cloud, Socket Supply proposes a system where data is distributed among peers, allowing for personalized, relevant experiences without the need for excessive bandwidth. While certain parts of e-commerce may remain centralized, such as credit card processing, Socket Supply aims to contribute to a more decentralized and peer-to-peer web.
Performance Benefits and Reducing Bandwidth Usage
Contrary to the expectation of increased bandwidth usage, Socket Supply's approach can actually reduce the amount of data required to render web applications. With peer-to-peer distribution, data is fetched in small fragments from multiple peers, rather than a single large request from a centralized server. This leads to a more efficient use of bandwidth and lower latency. As users interact with the app, only the necessary data is fetched on-demand, reducing the overall data transfer. Additionally, by distributing the data among peers, the need for caching and intricate web performance optimizations is diminished. Using Socket Supply's runtime, web apps can provide personalized and dynamic experiences by retrieving and rendering the required data in a more efficient and scalable manner.
Distributing Front-End Applications with Socket Supply
Socket Supply provides a unique approach to distributing front-end applications by utilizing the existing web view on devices instead of shipping a web view with the application. This strategy not only improves security but also enhances performance. By leveraging the web view as a native core experience, Socket Supply delivers high-quality performance experiences inside the web view without modifying the application logic. This allows developers to use their preferred frameworks and tools, resulting in a platform-independent development process.
The Rise of Peer-to-Peer Web and Socket Supply's Role
Socket Supply aims to revolutionize the web by reducing reliance on centralized cloud servers and shifting towards a peer-to-peer network. They propose a distributed approach where each user's device holds a small slice of the overall data, eliminating the need for a single global source of truth. Through their peer-to-peer protocol built on UDP, devices securely communicate directly with each other, enabling efficient data exchange. Socket Supply sees messaging, business productivity suites, and large-scale social networks as potential areas where their infrastructure shift could have significant impact, offering improved privacy and scalability while minimizing cloud costs.
Lane chats with Kyle Simpson, principal software engineer at Socket Supply. They talk about a new wrapper around mobile apps that allows developers to distribute the backend data required for their apps to run directly on various client's devices.
Learn back-end development - https://boot.dev Listen on your favorite podcast player: https://www.backendbanter.com
Kyle on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/getify/ Socket Supply: https://socketsupply.co/
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