Common Issues general

Real-Time Features Not Working (Chat, Notifications, Live Updates)

Your app has real-time features (chat, live notifications, real-time data updates) but they don't work. Messages don't appear until you refresh, notifications are delayed or missing, or the live update feature requires manual refreshing.

Common Causes

  • WebSocket connection failing or not supported by the hosting platform
  • Real-time subscriptions not set up correctly in the database
  • The app uses polling but the interval is too long or the polling broke
  • Hosting platform doesn't support persistent connections (serverless limitation)
  • Supabase Realtime not enabled for the relevant tables

How to Fix It

  1. Check the browser console for WebSocket connection errors
  2. If using Supabase, verify that Realtime is enabled for the tables you need
  3. Check if your hosting platform supports WebSockets (some serverless platforms don't)
  4. Verify the real-time subscription code is listening to the correct channel/table
  5. As a fallback, implement polling (periodic refresh) until WebSockets are fixed

Real developers can help you.

Costea Adrian Costea Adrian Embedded Engineer specilizing in perception systems. Latest project was a adas camera calibration system. zipking zipking I am a technologist and product builder dedicated to creating high-impact solutions at the intersection of AI and specialized markets. Currently, I am focused on PropScan (EstateGuard), an AI-driven SaaS platform tailored for the Japanese real estate industry, and exploring the potential of Archify. As an INFJ-T, I approach development with a "systems-thinking" mindset—balancing technical precision with a deep understanding of user needs. I particularly enjoy the challenge of architecting Vertical AI SaaS and optimizing Small Language Models (SLMs) to solve specific, real-world business problems. Whether I'm in a CTO-level leadership role or hands-on with the code, I thrive on building tools that turn complex data into actionable value. Richard McSorley Richard McSorley Full-Stack Software Engineer with 8+ years building high-performance applications for enterprise clients. Shipped production systems at Walmart (4,000+ stores), Cigna (20M+ users), and Arkansas Blue Cross. 5 patents in retail/supply chain tech. Currently focused on AI integrations, automation tools, and TypeScript-first architectures. Jen Jacobsen Jen Jacobsen I’m a Full-Stack Developer with over 10 years of experience building modern web and mobile applications. I enjoy working across the full product lifecycle — turning ideas into real, well-built products that are intuitive for users and scalable for businesses. I particularly enjoy building mobile apps, modern web platforms, and solving complex technical problems in a way that keeps systems clean, reliable, and easy to maintain. ISHANTDEEP SINGH ISHANTDEEP SINGH Senior Software Engineer with 7+ years of experience in React, JavaScript, TypeScript, Next.js, and Node.js. I’ve also worked as a tech lead for startups, owning end-to-end technical execution including architecture, development, scaling, and delivery. I bring a strong mix of hands-on coding, product thinking, and technical leadership, and I’m comfortable building products from scratch as well as improving and scaling existing systems. Tejas Chokhawala Tejas Chokhawala Full-stack engineer with 5 years experience building production web apps using React, Next.js and TypeScript. Focused on performance, clean architecture and shipping fast. Experienced with Supabase/Postgres backends, Stripe billing, and building AI-assisted developer tools. PawelPloszaj PawelPloszaj I'm fronted developer with 10+ years of experience with big projects. I have small backend background too Nam Tran Nam Tran 10 years as fullstack developer Krishna Sai Kuncha Krishna Sai Kuncha Experienced Professional Full stack Developer with 8+ years of experience across react, python, js, ts, golang and react-native. Developed inhouse websearch tooling for AI before websearch was solved : ) Kingsley Omage Kingsley Omage Fullstack software engineer passionate about AI Agents, blockchain, LLMs.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Chat messages only appear after I refresh the page. Why?

The real-time subscription is probably not working. This could be a WebSocket connection issue, incorrect subscription setup, or a hosting platform limitation.

Can real-time features work on any hosting platform?

Not all platforms support WebSockets. Serverless platforms often can't maintain persistent connections. A developer can recommend the right setup for your needs.

Related Common Issues Issues

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