XMPP or Push (GCM), which is better to use?

Question

Android

Hello.
Actually, I recently wondered, what is better than Push notifications, provided that there is a server that keeps the connection? I understand that the principle is the same, but at the same time applying decompilation for popular applications a couple of times, I found that they all work with GCM.
What is better to apply? I will be glad for any information.

Answer 1

In android, there is a service that connects to the server and receives pushes. If everyone kept a permanent connection, then this would have a negative effect on performance and charge. If you need (not for push notifications) to keep a permanent connection, then use it (as I understand it, vk works this way), if not, then use gcm.