🤔 When to Use Streaming vs Normal Chat

Now that you have both streaming and normal chat working, let’s talk about when to use each approach. The key difference is usability - what experience do your users expect?

⚡ Use Streaming When Users Are Waiting

Streaming is perfect when users are actively waiting and watching for a response. They want to see progress and feel engaged.

📝 Content Creation Apps

Blog post generators
Story writing assistants
Email drafters
Social media content creators
Resume builders

Why streaming works here: Users want to read and potentially edit as the content appears. They’re engaged in the creative process and seeing words appear feels natural.

🔧 Use Normal Chat for Automations

Normal chat is better when responses trigger actions or when users need complete data before proceeding.

⚙️ Workflow Automation Tools

Task management integrations
CRM data entry systems
Email automation tools
API orchestration platforms
Database processors

Why normal works here: Your system needs the complete response to take the next action. Half a response can’t create a task or update a database.

📊 Data Processing Applications

Spreadsheet AI assistants
Data analysis tools
Report generators
SQL query builders
Business intelligence dashboards

Why normal works here: You need the complete query, analysis, or data structure before you can execute it or display results.

🎯 Application Examples by Type

Streaming Applications You Could Build

1. AI Writing Assistant

Features: Real-time blog writing, email drafting, social posts
User Experience: Watch AI write your content live
Perfect for: Content creators, marketers, students

2. Interactive Learning Platform

Features: Step-by-step explanations, coding tutorials
User Experience: Read while AI continues explaining
Perfect for: Students, developers, professionals

3. Creative Brainstorming Tool

Features: Idea generation, story creation, marketing concepts
User Experience: Ideas flow naturally in real-time
Perfect for: Writers, designers, entrepreneurs

4. Personal AI Assistant

Features: General Q&A, advice, conversation
User Experience: Natural, ChatGPT-like interaction
Perfect for: General consumers, personal use

Normal Chat Applications You Could Build

1. Task Management Bot

Features: Create tasks, set reminders, update status
System Actions: Database updates, notifications, integrations
Perfect for: Teams, project managers, businesses

2. Data Analysis Assistant

Features: SQL generation, report creation, data insights
System Actions: Query execution, chart generation, exports
Perfect for: Analysts, business users, data teams

3. E-commerce Assistant

Features: Product search, order status, recommendations
System Actions: Database queries, cart updates, payments
Perfect for: Online stores, customer service, sales

4. Form Processing Tool

Features: Smart form filling, validation, data extraction
System Actions: Database saves, email triggers, workflows
Perfect for: Lead generation, surveys, applications

5. Slack/Discord Bot

Features: Team assistance, information lookup, automation
System Actions: Message posting, user management, integrations
Perfect for: Teams, communities, organizations

🚀 Quick Decision Framework

Choose Streaming if:

Users will read the response as it appears
Content is longer than a few sentences
User experience and engagement matter
You’re building consumer-facing tools

Choose Normal if:

You need the complete response to take action
Integrating with other systems or APIs
Building automation or workflow tools
Mobile apps that update UI based on response

Mixed Approach:

Content creation: Streaming for writing, normal for saving
Customer service: Streaming for explanations, normal for ticket creation
Education: Streaming for teaching, normal for quiz grading

💡 Real-World Thinking

Ask yourself: “What happens after the AI responds?”

If your user will:

Read and enjoy the content → Use streaming
Copy/paste the response → Use streaming
Make decisions based on what they read → Use streaming

If your system will:

Process the response data → Use normal
Save to a database → Use normal
Trigger another API call → Use normal
Parse structured data (JSON, etc.) → Use normal

The key is understanding your users: Are they waiting and watching (use streaming) or do they need complete responses to proceed (use normal)?

Choose the approach that matches how your users will actually interact with your app! 🎯