What are the potential advantages of using WebSockets over AJAX for real-time applications in PHP?

Using WebSockets over AJAX for real-time applications in PHP can provide advantages such as lower latency, reduced server load, and bidirectional communication. WebSockets allow for full-duplex communication between the client and server, enabling real-time updates without the need for constant polling.

// Example PHP code using WebSockets for real-time communication

// Create a WebSocket server
$server = new \WebSocket\Client('ws://localhost:8000');

// Send a message to the server
$server->send('Hello, server!');

// Receive messages from the server
while (true) {
    $message = $server->receive();
    echo $message . "\n";
}