StreetJS vs Pusher
In one line: A self-host vs managed decision for realtime. Pusher is a managed WebSocket/pub-sub service you call from your backend; StreetJS includes a built-in WebSocket server with channels and presence that you own and run alongside the rest of your app — no per-message or per-connection billing.
Not a like-for-like comparison. Pusher is a managed realtime service; StreetJS is a backend framework with realtime built in.
At a glance
| StreetJS (built-in realtime) | Pusher | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Self-hosted WebSocket server | Managed pub/sub realtime API |
| Channels / presence | Built-in channels + presence | Channels, presence, private channels |
| Where it runs | Your server / cluster | Pusher’s infrastructure |
| Scaling | Your clustering + load balancing | Managed, auto-scaled |
| Cost model | Your infra cost | Per-connection / per-message tiers |
| Client SDKs | Typed StreetJS client | Many official client SDKs |
| Global edge / fan-out | DIY | Provided |
| Vendor lock-in | None | Moderate (API + SDKs) |
Where Pusher wins
- Zero realtime ops. Connection scaling, global fan-out, and reliability are handled for you.
- Broad official SDKs across web, mobile, and server platforms.
- Fast integration — add realtime without running or scaling WebSocket servers.
Where StreetJS wins
- Realtime is built in. Channels and presence ship with the framework, sharing the same auth, context, and types as your HTTP routes.
- No per-connection / per-message pricing. Cost scales with your own infra, not a usage meter.
- No external round-trip or vendor lock-in for realtime delivery.
Honest tradeoffs
Pusher removes the operational burden of running and scaling WebSocket infrastructure globally, which is genuinely hard at large scale. StreetJS is attractive when you want realtime integrated into your backend, predictable self-hosted costs, and no third-party dependency — provided you’re prepared to scale WebSockets yourself (clustering, sticky sessions/load balancing). See Realtime Channels and Realtime.
FAQ
Can StreetJS replace Pusher? For self-hosted realtime, yes — StreetJS provides a WebSocket server with channels and presence. At very large, globally distributed scale, Pusher’s managed fan-out and reliability are non-trivial to reproduce yourself.
How do I scale StreetJS WebSockets? StreetJS supports clustering; you front it with a load balancer using sticky sessions or a shared coordination layer. See Realtime for patterns.