diff --git a/pkgs/dart_services/lib/server.dart b/pkgs/dart_services/lib/server.dart
index 0df8abcd1..bb847ef40 100644
--- a/pkgs/dart_services/lib/server.dart
+++ b/pkgs/dart_services/lib/server.dart
@@ -146,6 +146,10 @@ Middleware exceptionResponse() {
     return (Request request) async {
       try {
         return await handler(request);
+      } on HijackException {
+        // We ignore hijack exceptions as they are not error conditions; they're
+        // used used for control flow when upgrading websocket connections.
+        rethrow;
       } catch (e, st) {
         if (e is BadRequest) {
           return Response.badRequest(body: e.message);
diff --git a/pkgs/dart_services/lib/src/common_server.dart b/pkgs/dart_services/lib/src/common_server.dart
index f347ab1af..4c0f6756f 100644
--- a/pkgs/dart_services/lib/src/common_server.dart
+++ b/pkgs/dart_services/lib/src/common_server.dart
@@ -7,11 +7,14 @@ import 'dart:convert';
 import 'dart:io';
 
 import 'package:dartpad_shared/model.dart' as api;
+import 'package:dartpad_shared/ws.dart';
 import 'package:http/http.dart' as http;
 import 'package:logging/logging.dart';
 import 'package:shelf/shelf.dart';
 import 'package:shelf_router/shelf_router.dart';
 import 'package:shelf_static/shelf_static.dart';
+import 'package:shelf_web_socket/shelf_web_socket.dart';
+import 'package:web_socket_channel/web_socket_channel.dart';
 
 import 'analysis.dart';
 import 'caching.dart';
@@ -37,9 +40,9 @@ class CommonServerImpl {
   final Sdk sdk;
   final ServerCache cache;
 
-  late Analyzer analyzer;
-  late Compiler compiler;
-  final ai = GenerativeAI();
+  late final Analyzer analyzer;
+  late final Compiler compiler;
+  final GenerativeAI ai = GenerativeAI();
 
   CommonServerImpl(this.sdk, this.cache);
 
@@ -73,6 +76,9 @@ class CommonServerApi {
     // general requests (GET)
     router.get(r'/api/<apiVersion>/version', handleVersion);
 
+    // websocket requests
+    router.get(r'/ws', webSocketHandler(handleWebSocket));
+
     // serve the compiled artifacts
     final artifactsDir = Directory('artifacts');
     if (artifactsDir.existsSync()) {
@@ -115,6 +121,52 @@ class CommonServerApi {
     return ok(version().toJson());
   }
 
+  /// Handle a new websocket connection request.
+  ///
+  /// Handle incoming requests, convert them to exising commands and dispatch
+  /// them appropriately. The commands and responses mirror the existing REST
+  /// protocol.
+  ///
+  /// This will be a long-running conneciton to the client.
+  void handleWebSocket(WebSocketChannel webSocket, String? subprotocol) {
+    webSocket.stream.listen(
+      (message) {
+        try {
+          // Handle incoming WebSocket messages
+          final request = JsonRpcRequest.fromJson(message as String);
+          log.genericInfo('ws request: ${request.method}');
+          JsonRpcResponse? response;
+
+          switch (request.method) {
+            case 'version':
+              final v = version();
+              response = request.createResultResponse(v.toJson());
+              break;
+            default:
+              response = request.createErrorResponse(
+                'unknown command: ${request.method}',
+              );
+              break;
+          }
+
+          webSocket.sink.add(jsonEncode(response.toJson()));
+          log.genericInfo(
+            'ws response: '
+            '${request.method} ${response.error != null ? '500' : '200'}',
+          );
+        } catch (e) {
+          log.genericSevere('error handling websocket request', error: e);
+        }
+      },
+      onDone: () {
+        // Nothing to clean up here.
+      },
+      onError: (Object error) {
+        log.genericSevere('error from websocket connection', error: error);
+      },
+    );
+  }
+
   Future<Response> handleAnalyze(Request request, String apiVersion) async {
     if (apiVersion != api3) return unhandledVersion(apiVersion);
 
@@ -512,7 +564,6 @@ Middleware logRequestsToLogger(DartPadLogger log) {
       final watch = Stopwatch()..start();
 
       final ctx = DartPadRequestContext.fromRequest(request);
-      log.genericInfo('received request, enableLogging=${ctx.enableLogging}');
 
       return Future.sync(() => innerHandler(request)).then(
         (response) {
@@ -524,7 +575,11 @@ Middleware logRequestsToLogger(DartPadLogger log) {
           return response;
         },
         onError: (Object error, StackTrace stackTrace) {
-          if (error is HijackException) throw error;
+          if (error is HijackException) {
+            log.info(_formatMessage(request, watch.elapsed), ctx);
+
+            throw error;
+          }
 
           log.info(_formatMessage(request, watch.elapsed, error: error), ctx);
 
diff --git a/pkgs/dart_services/pubspec.yaml b/pkgs/dart_services/pubspec.yaml
index 1c042fed0..51ebec00b 100644
--- a/pkgs/dart_services/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pkgs/dart_services/pubspec.yaml
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ dependencies:
   shelf_gzip: ^4.1.0
   shelf_router: ^1.1.4
   shelf_static: ^1.1.0
+  shelf_web_socket: ^3.0.0
+  web_socket_channel: ^3.0.0
   yaml: ^3.1.3
 
 dev_dependencies:
diff --git a/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/backend_client.dart b/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/backend_client.dart
index 8bcc581b3..dca3cc530 100644
--- a/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/backend_client.dart
+++ b/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/backend_client.dart
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import 'package:http/http.dart';
 import 'headers.dart';
 
 class DartServicesHttpClient {
-  final Client _client = Client();
   static Map<String, String> _headers = DartPadRequestHeaders(
     enableLogging: true,
   ).encoded;
@@ -19,7 +18,7 @@ class DartServicesHttpClient {
     _headers = DartPadRequestHeaders(enableLogging: false).encoded;
   }
 
-  void close() => _client.close();
+  final Client _client = Client();
 
   Future<Response> get(String url) async {
     return await _client.get(Uri.parse(url), headers: _headers);
@@ -46,4 +45,6 @@ class DartServicesHttpClient {
 
     return await _client.send(httpRequest);
   }
+
+  void close() => _client.close();
 }
diff --git a/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/services.dart b/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/services.dart
index 1d43bbc76..5e5cc7d11 100644
--- a/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/services.dart
+++ b/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/services.dart
@@ -2,10 +2,14 @@
 // for details. All rights reserved. Use of this source code is governed by a
 // BSD-style license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
 
+import 'dart:async';
 import 'dart:convert';
 
+import 'package:web_socket/web_socket.dart';
+
 import 'backend_client.dart';
 import 'model.dart';
+import 'ws.dart';
 
 export 'model.dart';
 
@@ -131,6 +135,81 @@ class DartServicesClient {
   }
 }
 
+/// A websocket analog to [DartServicesClient].
+class WebsocketServicesClient {
+  final Uri wsUrl;
+  final WebSocket socket;
+  final IDFactory idFactory = IDFactory();
+
+  final Map<int, Completer<Object>> responseCompleters = {};
+  final Map<int, Object Function(Map<String, Object?>)> responseDecoders = {};
+
+  final Completer<void> _closedCompleter = Completer();
+
+  WebsocketServicesClient._(this.wsUrl, this.socket);
+
+  static Future<WebsocketServicesClient> connect(String rootUrl) async {
+    final url = Uri.parse(rootUrl);
+    final wsUrl = url.replace(
+      scheme: url.scheme == 'https' ? 'wss' : 'ws',
+      path: 'ws',
+    );
+    final socket = await WebSocket.connect(wsUrl);
+    final client = WebsocketServicesClient._(wsUrl, socket);
+    client._init();
+    return client;
+  }
+
+  void _init() {
+    socket.events.listen((e) async {
+      switch (e) {
+        case TextDataReceived(text: final text):
+          _dispatch(JsonRpcResponse.fromJson(text));
+          break;
+        case BinaryDataReceived(data: final _):
+          // Ignore - binary data is unsupported.
+          break;
+        case CloseReceived(code: final _, reason: final _):
+          // Notify that the server connection has closed.
+          _closedCompleter.complete();
+          break;
+      }
+    });
+  }
+
+  Future<void> get onClosed => _closedCompleter.future;
+
+  Future<VersionResponse> version() {
+    final requestId = idFactory.generateNextId();
+    final completer = Completer<VersionResponse>();
+
+    responseCompleters[requestId] = completer;
+    responseDecoders[requestId] = VersionResponse.fromJson;
+
+    socket.sendText(
+      jsonEncode(JsonRpcRequest(method: 'version', id: requestId).toJson()),
+    );
+
+    return completer.future;
+  }
+
+  Future<void> dispose() => socket.close();
+
+  void _dispatch(JsonRpcResponse response) {
+    final id = response.id;
+
+    final completer = responseCompleters[id]!;
+    final decoder = responseDecoders[id]!;
+
+    if (response.error != null) {
+      completer.completeError(response.error!);
+    } else {
+      final result = decoder((response.result! as Map).cast());
+      completer.complete(result);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 class ApiRequestError implements Exception {
   ApiRequestError(this.message, this.body);
 
diff --git a/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/ws.dart b/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/ws.dart
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..9f6e16120
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkgs/dartpad_shared/lib/ws.dart
@@ -0,0 +1,134 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2025, the Dart project authors.  Please see the AUTHORS file
+// for details. All rights reserved. Use of this source code is governed by a
+// BSD-style license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+import 'dart:convert';
+
+import 'model.dart';
+
+/// A request in JSON-RPC format.
+class JsonRpcRequest {
+  /// The name of the method to be invoked.
+  final String method;
+
+  /// The event ID; if null, this event is a notification.
+  final int? id;
+
+  /// A structured value that holds the parameter values to be used during the
+  /// invocation of the method.
+  final Map<String, Object?>? params;
+
+  JsonRpcRequest({required this.method, this.id, this.params});
+
+  factory JsonRpcRequest.fromJson(String val) {
+    final json = (jsonDecode(val) as Map).cast<String, Object?>();
+    return JsonRpcRequest(
+      method: json['method'] as String,
+      id: json['id'] as int?,
+      params: (json['params'] as Map?)?.cast(),
+    );
+  }
+
+  JsonRpcResponse createResultResponse(Map<String, Object?> result) =>
+      JsonRpcResponse(id: id!, result: result);
+
+  JsonRpcResponse createErrorResponse(Object error) =>
+      JsonRpcResponse(id: id!, error: error);
+
+  Map<String, Object?> toJson() => {
+    'id': id,
+    'method': method,
+    if (params != null) 'params': params,
+  };
+}
+
+/// A JSON-RPC response.
+class JsonRpcResponse {
+  /// This must be the same as the value of the id member in the request object.
+  final int id;
+
+  /// This member is required on success.
+  ///
+  /// This member must not exist if there was an error invoking the method.
+  ///
+  /// The value of this member is determined by the method invoked on the
+  /// server.
+  final Object? result;
+
+  /// This member is required on error.
+  ///
+  /// This member must not exist if there was no error triggered during
+  /// invocation.
+  final Object? error;
+
+  JsonRpcResponse({required this.id, this.result, this.error});
+
+  factory JsonRpcResponse.fromJson(String val) {
+    final json = (jsonDecode(val) as Map).cast<String, Object?>();
+    return JsonRpcResponse(
+      id: json['id'] as int,
+      result: json['result'],
+      error: json['error'],
+    );
+  }
+
+  Map<String, Object?> toJson() => {
+    'id': id,
+    if (result != null) 'result': result,
+    if (error != null) 'error': error,
+  };
+}
+
+/// This represents a websocket command that can be sent over the wire (aka, a
+/// version command, and analyze command, ...).
+abstract class WsCommand<T> {
+  /// Convert this command into a websocket formatted request.
+  JsonRpcRequest createRequest(IDFactory idFactory);
+
+  /// Given a json response to this command, parse it into the expected format.
+  ///
+  /// For example, a `VersionCommand` might return a `VersionResponse` from this
+  /// method.
+  T parseResponse(Map<String, Object?> response);
+}
+
+class VersionCommand extends WsCommand<VersionResponse> {
+  static const name = 'version';
+
+  /// This command takes no parameters.
+  VersionCommand();
+
+  @override
+  JsonRpcRequest createRequest(IDFactory idFactory) {
+    return JsonRpcRequest(method: name, id: idFactory.generateNextId());
+  }
+
+  @override
+  VersionResponse parseResponse(Map<String, Object?> response) {
+    return _handleParseResponse(VersionResponse.fromJson, response);
+  }
+}
+
+T _handleParseResponse<T>(
+  T Function(Map<String, Object?>) decode,
+  Map<String, Object?> response,
+) {
+  if (response.containsKey('error')) {
+    // ignore: only_throw_errors
+    throw response['error']!;
+  } else {
+    final result = (response['result'] as Map).cast<String, Object?>();
+    return decode(result);
+  }
+}
+
+/// A class to generate a monotonically increasing sequence of numbers.
+class IDFactory {
+  int _next = 0;
+
+  int generateNextId() {
+    final id = _next;
+    _next++;
+    return id;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/pkgs/dartpad_shared/pubspec.yaml b/pkgs/dartpad_shared/pubspec.yaml
index fe5c3febc..13d314825 100644
--- a/pkgs/dartpad_shared/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pkgs/dartpad_shared/pubspec.yaml
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ dependencies:
   http: ^1.3.0
   json_annotation: ^4.9.0
   meta: ^1.15.0
+  web_socket: ^1.0.0
 
 dev_dependencies:
   build_runner: ^2.4.15
diff --git a/pkgs/dartpad_ui/lib/model/model.dart b/pkgs/dartpad_ui/lib/model/model.dart
index 7a286b201..c837e6c0f 100644
--- a/pkgs/dartpad_ui/lib/model/model.dart
+++ b/pkgs/dartpad_ui/lib/model/model.dart
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ import '../primitives/gists.dart';
 import '../primitives/samples.g.dart';
 import '../primitives/utils.dart';
 
+/// A compile-time flag to control making requests over websockets.
+///
+/// Do not check this in `true`; this will create a long-lived connection to the
+/// backend and we don't yet know how well that will scale.
+const useWebsockets = false;
+
 abstract class ExecutionService {
   Future<void> execute(
     Channel usingChannel,
@@ -191,8 +197,8 @@ class AppServices {
   final AppModel appModel;
   final ValueNotifier<Channel> _channel = ValueNotifier(Channel.defaultChannel);
 
-  final _httpClient = DartServicesHttpClient();
   late DartServicesClient services;
+  WebsocketServicesClient? webSocketServices;
 
   ExecutionService? _executionService;
   EditorService? _editorService;
@@ -213,7 +219,10 @@ class AppServices {
 
   AppServices(this.appModel, Channel channel) {
     _channel.value = channel;
-    services = DartServicesClient(_httpClient, rootUrl: channel.url);
+    services = DartServicesClient(
+      DartServicesHttpClient(),
+      rootUrl: channel.url,
+    );
 
     appModel.sourceCodeController.addListener(_handleCodeChanged);
     appModel.analysisIssues.addListener(_updateEditorProblemsStatus);
@@ -234,7 +243,15 @@ class AppServices {
   ValueListenable<Channel> get channel => _channel;
 
   Future<VersionResponse> setChannel(Channel channel) async {
-    services = DartServicesClient(_httpClient, rootUrl: channel.url);
+    services = DartServicesClient(services.client, rootUrl: channel.url);
+
+    // Tear this down if using websockets; this will be recreated automatically
+    // as necessary.
+    if (useWebsockets) {
+      webSocketServices?.dispose();
+      webSocketServices = null;
+    }
+
     final versionResponse = await populateVersions();
     _channel.value = channel;
     return versionResponse;
@@ -270,7 +287,20 @@ class AppServices {
   }
 
   Future<VersionResponse> populateVersions() async {
-    final version = await services.version();
+    VersionResponse version;
+
+    if (useWebsockets) {
+      // Since using websockets is a compile-time config option, and it's only
+      // used for the version call, we create it here on demand.
+      webSocketServices ??= await WebsocketServicesClient.connect(
+        services.rootUrl,
+      );
+
+      version = await webSocketServices!.version();
+    } else {
+      version = await services.version();
+    }
+
     appModel.runtimeVersions.value = version;
     return version;
   }
@@ -576,7 +606,7 @@ class AppServices {
   }
 
   void dispose() {
-    _httpClient.close();
+    services.dispose();
 
     appModel.sourceCodeController.removeListener(_handleCodeChanged);
   }
diff --git a/pkgs/dartpad_ui/pubspec.yaml b/pkgs/dartpad_ui/pubspec.yaml
index 27cf71ce6..e0e5cfa91 100644
--- a/pkgs/dartpad_ui/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pkgs/dartpad_ui/pubspec.yaml
@@ -33,16 +33,17 @@ dependencies:
   url_launcher: ^6.3.0
   vtable: ^0.4.0
   web: ^1.1.0
+  web_socket: ^1.0.0
 
 dev_dependencies:
-  integration_test:
-    sdk: flutter
+  dart_services:
+    path: ../dart_services
+  flutter_lints: ^6.0.0
   flutter_test:
     sdk: flutter
-  flutter_lints: ^6.0.0
+  integration_test:
+    sdk: flutter
   test: ^1.25.7
-  dart_services:
-    path: ../dart_services
 
 flutter:
   uses-material-design: true