is ping/pong in websocket handled automatically in ktor?

Yes, but you need to enable it

install(WebSockets) {
        pingPeriod = Duration.ofMinutes(5)
    }

Is this it?

Note that setting

pingPeriod

enables server to client ping while client side pings are handled automatically unless you have raw websocket (responding and instance of

WebSocketUpgrade

starts raw websocket as well)

I see. Thanks!