How to Dynamically Update an HTML Input Field with WebSocket Data

Learn how to use JavaScript and WebSocket to `real-time update` HTML input fields with dynamic data like Bitcoin prices.
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How to Dynamically Update an HTML Input Field with WebSocket Data

As a beginner in JavaScript, you might find yourself facing challenges while working with real-time data. One common scenario is updating an HTML input field with data received from an external WebSocket connection. In this guide, we'll walk through how to display Bitcoin prices fetched from a WebSocket in a text input field.

Understanding the Problem

You have successfully set up your WebSocket connection and are receiving data about Bitcoin prices. So far, you have been able to display this data in the console and within a heading (<h1> tag). Now, the next step is to update an HTML input field with the current price each time a new message is received.

Here’s a quick look at the initial code you provided:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

In your current implementation, there are a couple of mistakes that prevent the input field from updating correctly. Let's address these issues and provide a proper solution.

Step-by-Step Solution

1. Create the HTML Input Field

First, ensure that your HTML input element is correctly set up. In this case, you're using a text input that is read-only.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

2. Set Up the WebSocket Connection

You already have a WebSocket connection to Binance that streams Bitcoin trades. This is correct!

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

3. Correctly Handle Incoming Messages

The main change you need to make is how you handle the incoming messages from the WebSocket. Instead of resetting the liveprice variable inside the onmessage function, create a new variable to hold the parsed data. Additionally, the value should be set using the value property, not innerText.

Here’s the corrected code:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

4. Explanation of the Code Changes

Conclusion

With these adjustments, your input field will now dynamically show the current Bitcoin price every time new data is received from the WebSocket. Real-time updates from WebSocket connections can be incredibly powerful for applications like financial dashboards.

Feel free to experiment further, and remember, practice is the key to mastering JavaScript and web technologies!

If you have any questions or run into issues, don't hesitate to ask for help. Happy coding!