title: How to keep web socket connection active when android app is closed
body: <p>I'm looking to make an app that sends a message to a websocket to enable notifications for when a particular parameter changes inside a computer. The parameter changes in the computer, travels through the websocket, and goes to my application. This part is correct, right? </p>
  
  <p>How do I receive these websocket notifications even when my app is closed? This is what background data is, right? Should this be simple? My application doesn't need to send messages to the web socket when it's closed. All it needs to do is receive messages when it's closed. Ideally, it would say 'Tell me when <em>parameter</em> changes!' on installation, then stay connected forever and ever while it's installed on the device.</p>
  
  <p>Also, the web socket is hosted by a third party, so I don't have access to any server settings it might offer.</p>
  
  <p>EDIT: I feel like i'm missing an important concept in all of this. How do messaging systems receive push notifications when they're off? Through a web socket, right? So even when a messaging app is closed, it receives data?</p>