Home  Insights  SignalR vs gRPC: Understanding the Di몭erences
SignalR vs gRPC: Understanding the
Differences
AUTHOR
Tien Nguyen
DATE
March 30, 2023
CATEGORY
Insights
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build high-performing, scalable, and secure applications. In today’s fast-paced world,
real-time communication and data transfer are becoming increasingly important, and
two technologies that stand out in this area are SignalR and gRPC.
In this guide, we will explore the di몭erences between SignalR and gRPC, including their
architectures, communication protocols, data serialization methods, performance,
language support, scalability, security, integration with other technologies, use cases,
and more. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of the
strengths and weaknesses of both technologies and be able to choose the right one for
your speci몭c use case.
So, let’s dive in and start exploring SignalR vs gRPC!
Overview of SignalR
SignalR is an open-source real-time web application framework developed by
Microsoft. It allows you to add real-time web functionality to applications using
WebSockets, server-sent events (SSE), long polling, and other techniques.
Table of Contents
1. Overview of SignalR
2. How SignalR Works in Detail
3. Overview of gRPC
4. How gRPC Works in Detail
5. Comparing SignalR vs gRPC
6. Communication Protocols
7. Data Serialization
8. Performance
9. Language Support
10. Scalability
11. Security
12. Integration with Other Technologies
13. Use Cases
13.1. SignalR Use Cases
13.2. gRPC Use Cases
14. Case Studies
15. Choosing the Right Technology
16. Conclusion
17. FAQs
Got it

SignalR uses a hub-and-spoke architecture, where the server-side hub acts as a
mediator between the client and the server. The client-side SignalR library
automatically generates JavaScript code that establishes a connection to the SignalR
hub on the server and allows the client to send and receive messages in real time.
SignalR also provides features such as automatic reconnection, connection status
tracking, and built-in authorization, making it easy to build reliable, scalable, and
secure real-time web applications.
Some of the bene몭ts of using SignalR include:
Easy-to-use API for creating real-time web functionality
Supports multiple transport protocols for real-time communication
Provides automatic reconnection and connection status tracking
Built-in authorization and security features
Cross-platform support for .NET, .NET Core, and JavaScript
How SignalR Works in Detail
SignalR uses a variety of techniques to provide real-time capabilities, including
WebSockets, long polling, server-sent events, and forever frames.
The basic architecture of SignalR involves two parts: the server and the client. The
server is responsible for processing client requests and sending updates to clients as
they become available. The client is responsible for making requests to the server and
processing updates as they arrive.
When a client connects to a SignalR server, the server establishes a persistent
connection with the client. This connection facilitates the exchange of data between
the server and the client in real-time.
SignalR supports multiple communication protocols, including WebSockets, which
provides a full-duplex, bi-directional communication channel between the client and
the server, enabling real-time updates to be sent and received without the need for
polling. If the client or server doesn’t support WebSockets, SignalR automatically falls
back to other supported techniques like long polling or server-sent events.
SignalR also supports di몭erent communication patterns, such as broadcast and group

messaging. In broadcast messaging, a message is sent to all connected clients,
whereas in group messaging, a message is sent to a speci몭c group of clients.
The SignalR server manages the connections to clients and provides a hub for clients
to interact with the server. A hub is a high-level programming model that enables the
server to expose methods that clients can invoke and vice versa. The hub manages the
method calls and data serialization between the client and the server.
In summary, SignalR provides real-time capabilities to web applications by establishing
a persistent connection between the server and the client, supporting multiple
communication protocols and patterns, and using hubs to enable client-server
interaction.
Overview of gRPC
gRPC is an open-source RPC framework developed by Google. It is designed to provide
high-performance, low-latency communication between services in a microservices
architecture. gRPC uses Protocol Bu몭ers as its data serialization format and supports

architecture. gRPC uses Protocol Bu몭ers as its data serialization format and supports
multiple programming languages, including C++, Java, Python, Go, and many others.
gRPC uses a client-server architecture, where the client initiates requests to the
server, and the server replies with responses. It supports bi-directional streaming,
allowing both the client and the server to send and receive streams of messages
simultaneously.
gRPC also supports various authentication and authorization mechanisms, such as
OAuth2, JSON Web Tokens (JWT), and SSL/TLS encryption, making it a secure choice
for microservices communication.
Some of the bene몭ts of using gRPC include:
High-performance and low-latency communication between services
Supports bi-directional streaming and multiple transport protocols
Cross-platform support for multiple programming languages
Supports various authentication and authorization mechanisms
Easy integration with other tools and technologies such as Kubernetes and Istio
How gRPC Works in Detail
gRPC is built on top of HTTP/2, which provides e몭cient binary serialization and
compressed message framing. gRPC uses Protocol Bu몭ers as its primary data
serialization mechanism, but it also supports JSON and other serialization formats.
gRPC allows clients to call remote procedures on a server as if they were local
methods. The gRPC client sends a request message to the server, and the server
processes the request and sends back a response message. gRPC supports both unary
and streaming RPCs, which allows for 몭exible and e몭cient communication between
the client and server.
To use gRPC, you de몭ne a service interface using the Protocol Bu몭ers IDL (Interface
De몭nition Language), which speci몭es the methods available on the server and the
message types used for input and output. The IDL is then compiled into source code in
the language of your choice, generating client and server stubs that can be used to
communicate between the client and server.
gRPC supports server-side streaming, client-side streaming, and bidirectional

streaming. In server-side streaming, the client sends a single request message to the
server, and the server sends back a stream of response messages. In client-side
streaming, the client sends a stream of request messages to the server, and the server
sends back a single response message. In bidirectional streaming, the client and server
exchange streams of messages simultaneously.
gRPC supports advanced features such as load balancing, 몭ow control, and
authentication. It also supports interoperability between di몭erent languages and
platforms, making it a powerful tool for building distributed systems.
Comparing SignalR vs gRPC
Here’s a table summarizing the di몭erences between SignalR and gRPC:
Feature SignalR gRPC
Communication
protocol
WebSocket, HTTP/2, Server-
Sent Events (SSE)
HTTP/2, TCP, UDP
Data
serialization
JSON, MessagePack Protocol Bu몭ers, JSON
Performance Slower than gRPC Faster than SignalR

Feature SignalR gRPC
Language
support
.NET languages, JavaScript,
Java, Python, Swift, and
more
More languages supported than
SignalR, including C++, Go, Ruby,
and more
Scalability
Limited horizontal scaling
due to connection-based
approach
Better horizontal scaling due to
request-based approach
Security Limited security options
Multiple security options, including
SSL/TLS and authentication
Integration
with other
technologies
Built-in support for ASP.NET
Core
Can be integrated with various
technologies, including Kubernetes
and Istio
Use cases
Real-time web applications,
chat applications
Microservices, remote procedure
calls, distributed systems
Ease of use
Easy to use for .NET
developers
May have a steeper learning curve
for some developers
Future
developments
Active development with
updates to .NET Core
Active development with updates
to Google Cloud Platform and more
In the following sections, we will present a comprehensive comparison of each aspect.
Communication Protocols
Both SignalR and gRPC support multiple communication protocols for transmitting
data between clients and servers. Let’s take a closer look at the protocols each
framework supports.
SignalR supports multiple transport protocols for real-time communication, including:
WebSockets: A full-duplex communication protocol that allows real-time data
transfer between the client and the server.
Server-sent events (SSE): A unidirectional protocol that allows the server to push
updates to the client.
Long polling: A request-response protocol that allows the client to wait for a
response from the server for an extended period.
SignalR automatically detects the best transport protocol based on the client’s
capabilities and the server’s con몭guration. This makes it easy to build real-time web

applications that work across di몭erent browsers and devices.
gRPC supports multiple transport protocols, including:
HTTP/2: A binary protocol that provides faster data transfer and better
compression compared to HTTP/1.1.
TCP: A reliable protocol that guarantees message delivery and maintains the
message order.
UDP: A lightweight protocol that provides low latency and high throughput, but does
not guarantee message delivery or maintain message order.
gRPC also supports bi-directional streaming, allowing both the client and the server to
send and receive streams of messages simultaneously. This makes it well-suited for
microservices communication, where high performance and low latency are crucial.
Data Serialization
Serialization converts data into a format that can be transmitted over a network or
stored in a 몭le. Both SignalR and gRPC use di몭erent serialization formats for
transmitting data between clients and servers.
SignalR uses JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) as its default serialization format for
transmitting data between clients and servers. JSON is a human-readable and
lightweight format that is widely supported by web browsers and mobile devices.
SignalR also supports other serialization formats like MessagePack, a binary format
that provides faster serialization and deserialization compared to JSON.
One advantage of using JSON is that it allows you to easily inspect and debug data
transferred between clients and servers. However, JSON’s human-readable nature can
also result in larger payload sizes compared to binary formats like Protocol Bu몭ers.
gRPC uses Protocol Bu몭ers as its default serialization format for transmitting data
between clients and servers. Protocol Bu몭ers is a binary format that provides faster
serialization and deserialization compared to JSON. It also allows for more e몭cient
storage of data compared to JSON, resulting in smaller payload sizes.
One bene몭t of using Protocol Bu몭ers is that it supports schema evolution, allowing
changes to be made to the message format without breaking backward compatibility.
Protocol Bu몭ers also provide language-speci몭c APIs for generating code, making it

easy to use in multiple programming languages.
Performance
Performance is a critical aspect of any communication framework, especially for real-
time applications and microservices communication. Let’s take a look at how SignalR
and gRPC perform in terms of latency, throughput, and scalability.
SignalR is designed to handle real-time communication between clients and servers. It
provides low-latency communication by supporting WebSockets, Server-sent events,
and long polling. SignalR automatically detects the best transport protocol based on
the client’s capabilities and the server’s con몭guration. This allows for e몭cient real-time
communication between clients and servers.
SignalR can handle a large number of concurrent connections and messages, making it
well-suited for building real-time web applications. However, its performance may be
impacted by the size of the payload being transmitted, especially when using JSON as
the serialization format.
gRPC provides high-performance communication between clients and servers by using
Protocol Bu몭ers as its default serialization format and HTTP/2 as its transport protocol.
Protocol Bu몭ers provide faster serialization and deserialization compared to JSON,
resulting in lower latency and higher throughput.
gRPC supports bi-directional streaming, allowing both the client and the server to send
and receive streams of messages simultaneously. This makes it well-suited for
microservices communication, where low latency and high throughput are crucial.
Language Support
Language support is an essential factor when choosing a communication framework,
as it allows you to use their preferred programming languages for building applications.
Let’s take a look at how SignalR and gRPC support di몭erent programming languages.
SignalR has o몭cial client libraries for .NET, JavaScript, and Java. It also has
community-supported client libraries for other programming languages like Python,
Ruby, and Go. This makes it well-suited for building applications using popular web
programming languages.

On the server side, SignalR supports .NET Core and .NET Framework, making it a good
choice for building real-time web applications using Microsoft technologies.
gRPC supports a wide range of programming languages, including C++, Java, Python,
Ruby, Go, and many more. It generates language-speci몭c client and server stubs from
the same .proto 몭le, allowing you to use your preferred programming languages for
building applications.
Both SignalR and gRPC support multiple programming languages, making them
suitable for building applications using a wide range of programming languages.
However, SignalR is more closely tied to Microsoft technologies, while gRPC is better
suited for building microservices and distributed systems that use multiple
programming languages.
Scalability
Scalability is a critical aspect of any communication framework, as it allows
applications to handle increasing amounts of tra몭c and data. Let’s take a look at how
SignalR and gRPC scale in terms of horizontal and vertical scalability.
SignalR can be scaled horizontally by deploying multiple instances of the application
behind a load balancer. This allows for increased concurrency and message-handling
capacity. However, scaling SignalR horizontally can be challenging, especially when
dealing with stateful connections.
SignalR can also be scaled vertically by increasing the resources of the server where it
is hosted. This can increase the message-handling capacity of a single instance of the
application.
gRPC is designed to be highly scalable and can be scaled horizontally using a load
balancer to distribute tra몭c among multiple instances of the application. gRPC also
supports service discovery using popular tools like Consul, Kubernetes, and ZooKeeper.
gRPC can also be scaled vertically by increasing the resources of the server where it is
hosted. This can increase the message-handling capacity of a single instance of the
application.
Both SignalR and gRPC can be scaled horizontally and vertically, allowing applications
to handle increasing amounts of tra몭c and data. However, scaling SignalR horizontally
can be more challenging, especially when dealing with stateful connections. gRPC, on

the other hand, is designed to be highly scalable and supports popular tools for service
discovery.
Security
Security is a crucial aspect of communication frameworks, as it ensures that data
transmitted between clients and servers is protected from unauthorized access and
manipulation. Let’s take a look at how SignalR and gRPC provide security features.
SignalR provides built-in support for secure communications using HTTPS, which
encrypts data transmitted between clients and servers. It also supports cross-origin
resource sharing (CORS) to enable web applications to access resources from di몭erent
domains.
SignalR also supports authentication and authorization, allowing you to control which
users can access which resources. SignalR supports various authentication
mechanisms, including Windows Authentication, OAuth2, and OpenID Connect.
gRPC provides secure communication by default using Transport Layer Security (TLS)
encryption, which encrypts data transmitted between clients and servers. It also
supports mutual authentication, ensuring that both the client and server can verify
each other’s identity.
gRPC also supports authorization using mechanisms like JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) and
OAuth2. This allows you to control which users can access which resources.
In summary, both SignalR and gRPC provide essential security features like encryption,
authentication, and authorization. However, gRPC provides secure communication by
default using TLS encryption, while SignalR requires you to enable HTTPS explicitly.
Integration with Other Technologies
SignalR and gRPC are both designed to work well with other technologies and integrate
seamlessly into existing software systems.
SignalR is designed to work with a wide range of web frameworks, including ASP.NET
Core, Angular, React, and Vue.js. This makes it easy for you to integrate SignalR into
existing web applications.

SignalR also provides integration with other Microsoft technologies, including Azure
Functions and Azure SignalR Service. This allows you to easily scale and host SignalR
applications in the cloud.
gRPC supports a wide range of programming languages, including C++, Java, Python,
and Ruby, making it easy to integrate with existing software systems written in
di몭erent languages.
gRPC also provides integration with popular service discovery tools like Consul,
Kubernetes, and ZooKeeper. This makes it easy for you to discover and manage gRPC
services in a distributed system.
Overall, both SignalR and gRPC provide easy integration with other technologies.
However, gRPC’s support for multiple programming languages makes it an ideal choice
for teams working on distributed systems using di몭erent languages.
Use Cases
SignalR and gRPC can be used in a variety of scenarios, from real-time web
applications to microservices architecture. Let’s take a look at some use cases for
these communication frameworks.
SignalR Use Cases
Real-Time Web Applications: SignalR is ideal for building real-time web
applications that require a constant connection between clients and servers. This
includes applications like chat rooms, online games, and stock trading platforms.
Distributed Systems: SignalR can be used in distributed systems where multiple
clients communicate with a central server. This includes scenarios like online ticket
booking systems, 몭ight reservation systems, and online shopping portals.
Dashboards and Analytics: SignalR can be used to build interactive dashboards
and data visualization tools. This includes scenarios like real-time sales dashboards,
website tra몭c analytics, and social media sentiment analysis.
gRPC Use Cases
Microservices Architecture: gRPC is ideal for building microservices architecture
where multiple services communicate with each other using a lightweight
communication framework. This includes scenarios like payment gateways, booking

systems, and order management systems.
Cross-Platform Communication: gRPC can be used to communicate between
services written in di몭erent programming languages. This includes scenarios where
the front end is written in JavaScript, and the back end is written in Python or Ruby.
High-Performance Applications: gRPC’s high-performance communication
protocol makes it ideal for building high-performance applications like real-time
bidding platforms, high-frequency trading systems, and online gaming platforms.
Case Studies
Let’s take a look at some real-world examples of companies and organizations using
SignalR and gRPC in their applications:
1. Microsoft Teams: Microsoft Teams, a popular collaboration platform, uses SignalR
to power real-time messaging and presence features. With SignalR, Teams users can
instantly see when a team member is typing, sending messages, or reacting to
messages.
2. Uber: Uber, the ride-hailing giant, uses gRPC for its microservices architecture. By
using gRPC, Uber can maintain high performance while handling large amounts of
tra몭c across a distributed system.
3. Net몭ix: Net몭ix, the streaming service, uses gRPC to communicate between
microservices in its infrastructure. By using gRPC, Net몭ix can ensure e몭cient and
reliable communication between services, improving overall system performance
and scalability.
4. SoundCloud: SoundCloud, the music streaming service, uses SignalR to power real-
time noti몭cations for its users. With SignalR, users can instantly see when a new
track is uploaded or when another user interacts with their content.
These case studies demonstrate the versatility and e몭ectiveness of both SignalR and
gRPC in a variety of industries and use cases. From real-time messaging to
microservices communication, SignalR and gRPC can help you create robust and
e몭cient applications.
Choosing the Right Technology
When it comes to choosing between SignalR and gRPC, there are several factors to
consider. Let’s take a look at some of the key considerations to keep in mind when

making your decision.
1. Application Requirements: The 몭rst consideration when choosing a
communication framework is the speci몭c requirements of your application. If your
application requires a constant connection between clients and servers, and real-
time updates, then SignalR may be the best choice. On the other hand, if you need
to build a microservices architecture with lightweight communication protocols,
then gRPC may be a better 몭t.
2. Language Support: Another factor to consider is the programming languages used
in your application. SignalR has good support for .NET languages like C# and VB.NET,
while gRPC supports a wide range of languages, including C++, Python, and Ruby.
3. Performance: Performance is another key factor to consider when choosing a
communication framework. SignalR uses WebSockets for real-time communication,
while gRPC uses a binary protocol. This makes gRPC faster and more e몭cient for
high-volume, low-latency communication.
4. Scalability: Scalability is also an important consideration, particularly if you expect
your application to grow rapidly. SignalR can scale horizontally by adding more
servers, while gRPC can scale both vertically and horizontally.
5. Integration with Other Technologies: Finally, consider how well the
communication framework integrates with other technologies in your stack. SignalR
integrates well with ASP.NET, while gRPC integrates with a wide range of
technologies, including Kubernetes and Istio.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SignalR and gRPC are both powerful technologies for building real-time
applications, but they have some signi몭cant di몭erences. SignalR is a more mature
technology with strong integration with ASP.NET, making it a great choice for .NET
developers. On the other hand, gRPC is a more modern technology that o몭ers high
performance and language-agnostic support, making it a good choice for developers
working in di몭erent languages.
When choosing between SignalR and gRPC, you should consider factors such as their
speci몭c use case, performance requirements, language support, and integration with
other technologies. By weighing these factors, you can choose the technology that
best suits your needs.
Both SignalR and gRPC have their own unique strengths and weaknesses, so there is

no clear winner in the battle between the two. Ultimately, the decision comes down to
the speci몭c needs of the project and the preferences of the development team.
In summary, both SignalR and gRPC are excellent technologies that o몭er powerful real-
time communication capabilities. By understanding the di몭erences between these two
technologies, you can choose the one that is best suited for your project and build
high-performance, scalable, and secure real-time applications.
Besides, WebSocket is another technology worth considering for real-time
communication. If you’re interested in learning more about how gRPC compares to
WebSocket, check out my blog post on gRPC vs WebSocket.
FAQs
Q: What is SignalR?
A: SignalR is a real-time communication library that allows you to add real-time
functionality to web applications. It is a part of the ASP.NET framework and supports
both server-side and client-side programming.
Q: What is gRPC?
A: gRPC is a high-performance, open-source framework that allows you to build
remote procedure call (RPC) applications. It is designed to be language-agnostic and
supports multiple programming languages.
Q: What are the main di몭erences between SignalR and gRPC?
A: The main di몭erences between SignalR and gRPC are their architecture,
communication protocols, data serialization, performance, language support,
scalability, and security.
Q: Which technology is better suited for building real-time applications?
A: The choice between SignalR and gRPC depends on the speci몭c needs of the project.
SignalR is a good choice for .NET developers who want strong integration with ASP.NET
and are building real-time applications in a single language. gRPC, on the other hand, is
a good choice for developers working in multiple languages who want high-
performance and language-agnostic support.

Q: Can SignalR and gRPC be used together?
A: Yes, SignalR and gRPC can be used together to build real-time applications that
require high-performance and language-agnostic support.
Q: Is SignalR or gRPC more secure?
A: Both SignalR and gRPC o몭er strong security features, including authentication and
encryption. However, the speci몭c security measures will depend on how the
technologies are used in the application.
Q: How can I get started with SignalR or gRPC?
A: To get started with SignalR, you can use the SignalR documentation and samples
provided by Microsoft. To get started with gRPC, you can use the gRPC documentation
and samples provided by Google.
Q: Will SignalR and gRPC continue to evolve and improve?
A: Yes, both SignalR and gRPC are actively maintained and developed by Microsoft and
Google, respectively. They will continue to evolve and improve over time with new
features, enhancements, and bug 몭xes.
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