Protocols, Reactive Architectures, and Computing Platforms for Low-Latency, High-Concurrency Web Applications: A Systematic Literature Review

This review examines the technologies shaping real-time web application development, with particular attention to bidirectional communication protocols, distributed reactive architectures, and computing platforms designed for low-latency, high-concurrency environments. Based on a systematic analysis of 62 studies published from 2020 through September 2025, the review identifies clear areas of convergence around WebSockets, hybrid edge–cloud architectures, and JavaScript-based ecosystems built on Node.js and React. The findings show a broader shift toward decoupled, event-driven systems that rely on asynchronous communication, while multi-user synchronization and horizontal scalability continue to pose major challenges. Bibliometric analysis also reveals a sharp increase in publications since 2023, with most studies appearing in IEEE conference proceedings and journals focused on software and systems architecture. The evidence suggests a growing preference for microservice-based architectures over monolithic designs because of their scalability, fault isolation, and support for asynchronous workflows, although the most effective architectural choice still depends on the application context. Current research is limited by the frequent use of controlled experimental settings, the lack of standardized benchmarks, and the relatively limited attention paid to interoperability. Overall, this review brings together the current evidence and outlines directions for designing efficient, scalable, and secure real-time web systems.