How is long polling implemented when using the Streaming API?

The implementation of long polling when using the Streaming API is facilitated through the Bayeux Protocol and CometD. This protocol allows for asynchronous messaging, enabling a client to establish a persistent connection to the server. In the context of Salesforce's Streaming API, this persistent connection allows clients to receive real-time notifications of changes to the data they are interested in without the need to frequently poll the server for updates.

Bayeux Protocol outlines a set of conventions for client-server interaction, such as defining message format and transport methods. CometD acts as a framework that implements this protocol, enabling the efficient handling of message delivery and connection management. Through the use of long polling, the client can request information and keep the connection open until the server has new data to send, making it a suitable method for real-time data streaming as provided by Salesforce.

The other options, while relevant to different types of communication or technologies, do not pertain specifically to the long polling mechanism used in the Streaming API. For instance, WebSocket protocol is designed for full-duplex communication but does not specifically employ long polling. HTTP/2 improves efficiency in HTTP communication but does not implement long polling on its own, and direct socket connections imply a different approach to communication that doesn’t utilize