Why Your App is Making Too Many API Requests (Short vs Long Polling)

Every time your app needs fresh data, it sends a request to the server. But what if it's doing that hundreds of times — even when nothing has changed? In this video, you'll learn exactly why that happens and how to fix it. Most developers start with short polling without even realizing it. It works, but it comes with a hidden cost. By the end of this video, you'll know a better way. We'll build your understanding step by step: ◼️ First, you'll learn what short polling is and how the client and server communicate in this model. ◼️ Then, we'll implement it live using Python and FastAPI with a PostgreSQL database. ◼️ After that, you'll see the problem in action — unnecessary requests flooding the server even when there's no new data. ◼️ Next, we'll introduce long polling and explain how it keeps a connection open until the server actually has something to say. ◼️ Finally, we'll implement long polling and compare both approaches side by side in the browser. ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 - Short Polling 3:15 - Long Polling Source Code: https://github.com/turtlecode/Long-vs-Short-Polling ✅ Free Python Courses https://www.youtube.com/@turtlecode/courses By the end of this video, you'll clearly understand what's happening between your client and server — and how to make that communication smarter.