convex-realtime

Use the useQuery hook to subscribe to a Convex query function, such as api.messages.list with a channel ID argument. The component automatically re-renders whenever the underlying data changes, with no polling or WebSocket code required.

Convex tracks which data each query reads and pushes updates to subscribed clients when that data changes. Calling useQuery in a React component creates a live subscription that re-runs the query and re-renders on every relevant change.

Yes, Convex reactive queries suit chat, presence indicators, activity feeds, and collaborative editing. Subscribing to a messages or presence query keeps all connected clients synchronized as data is written.

No, manual polling is unnecessary with Convex. Reactive queries push updates to subscribed components automatically, so dashboards, notifications, and reactive search results stay current without setInterval or refetch logic.

Avoid reactive subscriptions for extremely high-frequency data where every update does not need to reach the client, or when the backend is not hosted on Convex. In those cases, throttled polling or a dedicated streaming service may fit better.