Describe the difference between TCP and UDP.

Difference Between TCP and UDP

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) are two of the most commonly used transport layer protocols in computer networks. The focus keyword for this topic is "TCP and UDP differences."

1. TCP (Transmission Control Protocol)

• Establishes a connection-oriented communication.
• Reliable and ensures data delivery with error checking and retransmission.
• Sequenced data delivery with flow control mechanisms.
• Slower but more reliable for applications that require data integrity.

2. UDP (User Datagram Protocol)

• Connectionless communication without establishing a session.
• Unreliable, as there is no error checking or retransmission of lost packets.
• Does not guarantee order of data delivery or flow control.
• Faster for real-time applications like video streaming or online gaming.

In summary, the main difference between TCP and UDP lies in their connection setup, reliability, speed, and error handling mechanisms.