Ably

Ably is a cloud-based real-time messaging platform designed to help developers build web and mobile applications that require low-latency data delivery across devices and regions. The service provides a managed publish/subscribe system built around named channels, enabling applications to publish messages and subscribe to updates in real time. Key features include channels for topic-based messaging, presence to track which clients are online, and history to retrieve recent communications. Ably also offers reliable delivery guarantees and automatic reconnection to minimize disruptions in connectivity.

Developers interact with Ably through client libraries for JavaScript, iOS, Android, and various server-side languages, as well as a REST API. The real-time transport typically uses WebSocket but falls back to other transports when needed, ensuring connectivity in diverse network environments. Messages are published to channels and delivered to all subscribers with low latency, and developers can manage access through token-based authentication and capability-based permissions.

The platform supports a range of common real-time use cases, including live chat, collaborative editing, live data streams, multiplayer gaming, and IoT event delivery. It integrates with existing infrastructure via webhooks and push notification systems, and it competes with other real-time data platforms in the cloud market. Ably emphasizes reliability, global reach, and developer experience, providing tooling to monitor usage, history, and connection health.