Push vs. Fetch — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 8, 2024
Push technology delivers data as it becomes available, ideal for instant updates; fetch involves periodic requests for data, useful for non-urgent updates.
Difference Between Push and Fetch
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Push technology involves a server automatically sending information to a device as soon as it becomes available, ensuring real-time data delivery. Whereas, fetch technology requires a device to periodically request information from a server, leading to potential delays in data reception.
Push is used extensively in applications requiring instant notification, such as email apps and messaging platforms, where timely information is critical. On the other hand, fetch is more common in scenarios where immediate updates are not as crucial, such as checking for software updates.
The push model can lead to higher server and network load, as it maintains a constant connection to deliver updates immediately. Conversely, fetch reduces load by connecting only at predetermined intervals, which can conserve both server resources and device battery life.
Push notifications are a direct result of push technology, enabling apps to alert users of new content without user interaction. Fetch technology, however, will only check for new content when initiated by the user or according to a set schedule.
In terms of configuration, push settings are typically managed by the server, giving the user less control over the frequency of updates. Fetch settings, however, are often configurable on the user’s device, allowing more flexibility in how data is retrieved.
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Comparison Chart
Update Timing
Instant
Periodic
Common Uses
Messaging, real-time updates
Email checking, software updates
Network Load
High, due to constant connection
Lower, connects at intervals
User Interaction
Minimal, mostly automatic
Required or scheduled
Control Over Updates
Server-based settings
User-configurable settings
Compare with Definitions
Push
Automatically sends updates to devices.
The app pushed a notification when I received a new message.
Fetch
Periodically checks for updates.
The email client fetches new messages every 15 minutes.
Push
Can increase battery and data usage.
Her phone battery drains faster because of all the apps using push.
Fetch
More efficient in terms of resource use.
Fetching updates less frequently helps preserve his data allowance.
Push
Maintains server connection for instant updates.
Our chat application uses push to keep conversations up-to-date.
Fetch
Allows users to control how often updates are retrieved.
They configured their devices to fetch emails less frequently while abroad.
Push
Less control for the user over update frequency.
He receives instant game updates via push, which he cannot change.
Fetch
User or system-initiated update checks.
You can set your phone to fetch app updates nightly.
Push
Common in real-time communication apps.
Emergency alerts are often sent via push to ensure immediate delivery.
Fetch
Used where immediate updates are unnecessary.
She uses fetch mode for her news app to save battery.
Push
To apply pressure against (something), especially for the purpose of moving it
Pushed the door but couldn't budge it.
Fetch
Go for and then bring back (someone or something) for someone
He ran to fetch help
She fetched me a cup of tea
Push
To move (something) by exerting force against it; thrust or shove
Pushed the crate aside.
Fetch
Achieve (a particular price) when sold
The land could fetch over a million pounds
Push
To exert downward pressure on (a button or keyboard, for example); press.
Fetch
Inflict (a blow or slap) on (someone)
That brute Cullam fetched him a wallop
Push
To force (one's way)
We pushed our way through the crowd.
Fetch
Cause great interest or delight in (someone)
That air of his always fetches women
Push
To urge forward or urge insistently; pressure
Pushed him to study harder.
Fetch
The distance travelled by wind or waves across open water.
Push
To extend or enlarge
Pushed sales into the millions.
Fetch
A stratagem or trick.
Push
(Informal) To approach in age
Is pushing 40 and still hasn't settled down.
Fetch
The apparition or double of a living person, formerly believed to be a warning of that person's impending death.
Push
(Informal) To promote or sell (a product)
The author pushed her latest book by making appearances in bookstores.
Fetch
To come or go after and take or bring back
The puppy fetched the stick that I had tossed.
Push
(Slang) To sell (a narcotic) illegally
Push drugs.
Fetch
To cause to come.
Push
(Sports) To hit (a ball) in the direction toward the dominant hand of the player propelling it, as to the right of a right-handed player.
Fetch
To bring in as a price
Fetched a thousand dollars at auction.
Push
To exert pressure or force against something
Winds pushing against the sail.
Fetch
To interest or attract.
Push
To advance despite difficulty or opposition; press forward
The regiment pushed toward the front line.
Fetch
To draw in (breath); inhale.
Push
To advocate or recommend something insistently
Pushed for a change in leadership.
Fetch
To bring forth (a sigh, for example) with obvious effort.
Push
To expend great or vigorous effort
Pushed to finish his paper by the deadline.
Fetch
(Informal) To deliver (a blow) by striking; deal.
Push
The act of pushing; a thrust
Gave the door a push.
Fetch
(Nautical) To arrive at; reach
Fetched port after a month at sea.
Push
The act of pressing
With a push of the button.
Fetch
To go after something and return with it.
Push
A vigorous or insistent effort toward an end; a drive
A push to reform health care.
Fetch
To retrieve killed game. Used of a hunting dog.
Push
A provocation to action; a stimulus
Has artistic talent but needs a push to get started.
Fetch
To take an indirect route.
Push
(Informal) Persevering energy; enterprise
Doesn't have the push to get the job done.
Fetch
To hold a course.
Push
To apply a force to (an object) such that it moves away from the person or thing applying the force.
In his anger he pushed me against the wall and threatened me.
You need to push quite hard to get this door open.
Fetch
To turn about; veer.
Push
(transitive) To continually attempt to persuade (a person) into a particular course of action.
Fetch
The act or an instance of fetching.
Push
(transitive) To press or urge forward; to drive.
To push an objection too far; to push one's luck
Fetch
A stratagem or trick.
Push
(transitive) To continually promote (a point of view, a product for sale, etc.).
Stop pushing the issue — I'm not interested.
They're pushing that perfume again.
There were two men hanging around the school gates today, pushing drugs.
Fetch
The distance over which a wind blows.
Push
(intransitive) To continually exert oneself in order to achieve a goal.
Fetch
The distance traveled by waves with no obstruction.
Push
To approach; to come close to.
My old car is pushing 250,000 miles.
Fetch
A ghost; an apparition.
Push
(intransitive) To tense the muscles in the abdomen in order to expel its contents.
During childbirth, there are times when the obstetrician advises the woman not to push.
Fetch
A doppelgänger.
Push
(intransitive) To continue to attempt to persuade a person into a particular course of action.
Fetch
To retrieve; to bear towards; to go and get.
Push
To make a higher bid at an auction.
Fetch
To obtain as price or equivalent; to sell for.
If you put some new tyres on it, and clean it up a bit, the car should fetch about $5,000
Push
(poker) To make an all-in bet.
Fetch
(nautical) To bring or get within reach by going; to reach; to arrive at; to attain; to reach by sailing.
To fetch headway or sternway
Push
To move (a pawn) directly forward.
Fetch
(intransitive) To bring oneself; to make headway; to veer; as, to fetch about; to fetch to windward.
Push
(computing) To add (a data item) to the top of a stack.
Fetch
To take (a breath), to heave (a sigh)
Push
(computing) To publish (an update, etc.) by transmitting it to other computers.
Fetch
To cause to come; to bring to a particular state.
Push
(obsolete) To thrust the points of the horns against; to gore.
Fetch
(obsolete) To recall from a swoon; to revive; sometimes with to.
To fetch a man to
Push
To burst out of its pot, as a bud or shoot.
Fetch
To reduce; to throw.
Push
(snooker) To strike the cue ball in such a way that it stays in contact with the cue and object ball at the same time (a foul shot).
Fetch
(archaic) To accomplish; to achieve; to perform, with certain objects or actions.
To fetch a compass;
To fetch a leap
Push
A short, directed application of force; an act of pushing.
Give the door a hard push if it sticks.
Fetch
To make (a pump) draw water by pouring water into the top and working the handle.
Push
An act of tensing the muscles of the abdomen in order to expel its contents.
One more push and the baby will be out.
Fetch
An act of fetching, of bringing something from a distance.
Push
A great effort (to do something).
Some details got lost in the push to get the project done.
Let's give one last push on our advertising campaign.
Fetch
An act of fetching data.
A fetch from a cache
Push
An attempt to persuade someone into a particular course of action.
Fetch
The object of fetching; the source of an attraction; a force, propensity, or quality which attracts.
Push
(military) A marching or drill maneuver/manoeuvre performed by moving a formation (especially a company front) forward or toward the audience, usually to accompany a dramatic climax or crescendo in the music.
Fetch
An area over which wind is blowing (over water) and generating waves.
Push
A wager that results in no loss or gain for the bettor as a result of a tie or even score
Fetch
The length of such an area; the distance a wave can travel across a body of water (without obstruction).
Push
(computing) The addition of a data item to the top of a stack.
Fetch
A stratagem or trick; an artifice.
Push
The situation where a server sends data to a client without waiting for a request.
Server push; a push technology
Fetch
The apparition of a living person; a person's double, the sight of which is supposedly a sign that they are fated to die soon, a doppelganger; a ghost]], a spectre.
Push
A particular crowd or throng or people.
Fetch
(Utah) Minced oath for fuck.
Push
(snooker) A foul shot in which the cue ball is in contact with the cue and the object ball at the same time
Fetch
To bear toward the person speaking, or the person or thing from whose point of view the action is contemplated; to go and bring; to get.
Time will run back and fetch the age of gold.
He called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fetch it he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand.
Push
A pustule; a pimple.
Fetch
To obtain as price or equivalent; to sell for.
Our native horses were held in small esteem, and fetched low prices.
Push
A pustule; a pimple.
Fetch
To recall from a swoon; to revive; - sometimes with to; as, to fetch a man to.
Fetching men again when they swoon.
Push
A thrust with a pointed instrument, or with the end of a thing.
Fetch
To reduce; to throw.
The sudden trip in wrestling that fetches a man to the ground.
Push
Any thrust. pressure, impulse, or force, or force applied; a shove; as, to give the ball the first push.
Fetch
To bring to accomplishment; to achieve; to make; to perform, with certain objects; as, to fetch a compass; to fetch a leap; to fetch a sigh.
I'll fetch a turn about the garden.
He fetches his blow quick and sure.
Push
An assault or attack; an effort; an attempt; hence, the time or occasion for action.
Exact reformation is not perfected at the first push.
When it comes to the push, 'tis no more than talk.
Fetch
To bring or get within reach by going; to reach; to arrive at; to attain; to reach by sailing.
Meantine flew our ships, and straight we fetchedThe siren's isle.
Push
The faculty of overcoming obstacles; aggressive energy; as, he has push, or he has no push.
Fetch
To cause to come; to bring to a particular state.
They could n't fetch the butter in the churn.
Push
A crowd; a company or clique of associates; a gang.
Fetch
To bring one's self; to make headway; to veer; as, to fetch about; to fetch to windward.
Push
To press against with force; to drive or impel by pressure; to endeavor to drive by steady pressure, without striking; - opposed to draw.
Sidelong had pushed a mountain from his seat.
Fetch
A stratagem by which a thing is indirectly brought to pass, or by which one thing seems intended and another is done; a trick; an artifice.
Every little fetch of wit and criticism.
Push
To thrust the points of the horns against; to gore.
If the ox shall push a manservant or maidservant, . . . the ox shall be stoned.
Fetch
The apparation of a living person; a wraith.
The very fetch and ghost of Mrs. Gamp.
Push
To press or urge forward; to drive; to push an objection too far.
Ambition pushes the soul to such actions as are apt to procure honor to the actor.
We are pushed for an answer.
Fetch
The unobstructed region of the ocean over which the wind blows to generate waves.
Push
To bear hard upon; to perplex; to embarrass.
Fetch
The length of such a region.
Push
To importune; to press with solicitation; to tease.
Fetch
Go or come after and bring or take back;
Get me those books over there, please
Could you bring the wine?
The dog fetched the hat
Push
To make a thrust; to shove; as, to push with the horns or with a sword.
Fetch
Be sold for a certain price;
The painting brought $10,000
The old print fetched a high price at the auction
Push
To make an advance, attack, or effort; to be energetic; as, a man must push in order to succeed.
At the time of the end shall the kind of the south push at him and the king of the north shall come against him.
War seemed asleep for nine long years; at lengthBoth sides resolved to push, we tried our strength.
Fetch
Take away or remove;
The devil will fetch you!
Push
To burst pot, as a bud or shoot.
The rider pushed on at a rapid pace.
Push
The act of applying force in order to move something away;
He gave the door a hard push
The pushing is good exercise
Push
The force used in pushing;
The push of the water on the walls of the tank
The thrust of the jet engines
Push
Enterprising or ambitious drive;
Europeans often laugh at American energy
Push
An electrical switch operated by pressing a button;
The elevator was operated by push buttons
The push beside the bed operated a buzzer at the desk
Push
An effort to advance;
The army made a push toward the sea
Push
Move with force,
He pushed the table into a corner
Push
Press, drive, or impel (someone) to action or completion of an action;
He pushed her to finish her doctorate
Push
Make publicity for; try to sell (a product);
The salesman is aggressively pushing the new computer model
The company is heavily advertizing their new laptops
Push
Strive and make an effort to reach a goal;
She tugged for years to make a decent living
We have to push a little to make the deadline!
She is driving away at her doctoral thesis
Push
Press against forcefully without being able to move;
She pushed against the wall with all her strength
Push
Approach a certain age or speed;
She is pushing fifty
Push
Exert oneself continuously, vigorously, or obtrusively to gain an end or engage in a crusade for a certain cause or person; be an advocate for;
The liberal party pushed for reforms
She is crusading for women's rights
The Dean is pushing for his favorite candidate
Push
Sell or promote the sale of (illegal goods such as drugs);
The guy hanging around the school is pushing drugs
Push
Move strenuously and with effort;
The crowd pushed forward
Push
Make strenuous pushing movements during birth to expel the baby;
`Now push hard,' said the doctor to the woman
Common Curiosities
What is push technology?
Push technology involves servers automatically sending information to a device when it becomes available, without the user needing to make a request.
What is fetch technology?
Fetch technology requires a device to make periodic requests to a server to see if new information is available.
Can I configure push settings on my device?
Typically, push settings are controlled server-side, and users have limited ability to change the frequency of these updates.
Is fetch technology less reliable than push?
Fetch is not necessarily less reliable, but it can be less timely, as it only checks for updates based on a schedule rather than in real-time.
Does fetch save battery compared to push?
Yes, fetch generally conserves battery life because it does not maintain a constant connection and only operates when updates are checked for.
What type of apps typically use push?
Apps that require real-time data like instant messaging or news alerts often use push technology.
What settings can I change for fetch on my email app?
Most email apps allow you to adjust the frequency of fetch, ranging from every few minutes to manually, based on your preferences.
What are the advantages of using fetch over push?
Fetch can be more efficient with battery and data use, as it does not require a constant connection and operates on a schedule set by the user.
How do real-time games use push technology?
Real-time games use push to instantly update players about game states, ensuring all players see the same scene simultaneously.
Can fetch be used for time-sensitive applications?
Fetch is not ideal for time-sensitive applications due to the delay between data checks.
Which method is better for emergency alerts?
Push is better for emergency alerts because it provides immediate information delivery, which is crucial in emergencies.
How do push notifications work?
Push notifications are messages that are sent by an application server directly to a user's device, typically to provide alerts or updates.
Why might a business choose fetch over push for its services?
A business might choose fetch to reduce server load and operational costs, especially if instant updates are not critical for their services.
How do I know if an app uses push or fetch?
App settings or documentation often indicate whether an app uses push or fetch for updating content.
What impact does push have on server resources?
Push can place a greater load on server resources due to the continuous connections required to send real-time updates.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
