Is the server-side required to respond to ping messages?

The server-side is not required to respond to ping messages unless it is specified by the protocol or the application's business logic.

However, in network protocols (such as WebSocket, HTTP/2), ping packets are often used to check the liveness of the connection and keep it active. In such cases, the server usually responds with pong so that the client understands that the connection is still alive.

If the server does not respond to ping, the client may consider the connection lost and attempt to reconnect.

In summary:

• If the protocol requires a response to ping — the server must respond.
• If not — a response is not mandatory but useful for maintaining the connection and diagnostics.