One of those protocols, you couldn’t use the Internet without. TCP & UDP both are transport layer protocol that each serves a valuable role for data transmission.
🍳 The choice of the protocol varies based on the requirement of the application. Here’s are some core differences which would help you understand them better.
🐸 Protocol Type
TCP uses connection-oriented protocols ensuring reliable data delivery and error checking whereas UDP operates as a connectionless protocol, sacrificing reliability for speed and efficiency.
💨 Speed/Bandwidth 💨
The major disadvantage of using TCP is it’s slow nature due to overhead for reliability and error checking. On the other hand, UDP provides faster transmission due to minimal overhead, making it a first choice for time-sensitive applications.
🍏 Application Area
TCP serves as the backbone for critical internet protocols such as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, and SSH. On the other hand, UDP is utilized by protocols like DNS, DHCP, SNMP etc.
🍉 Error Checking
TCP uses series of sequence and acknowledgement to ensure reliable data delivery by requesting retransmission if errors occur.
In contrast, UDP has minimal error checking, with only checksum field to identify corrupted data.
🍪 Packet Ordering
TCP uses sequence number to ensures that packets are processed in the correct sequence. The out-of-order packets are held in the buffer memory until it receives the missing pieces.
UDP doesn’t give a shit about packet ordering 😂
🍤 Flow Control
TCP employs flow control mechanisms to prevent overwhelming the receiver. It maintains a Receive Window variable (rwnd) to employ flow control.
UDP does not implement flow control, allowing data to be sent at the maximum rate, which may lead to packet loss in congested networks.
👑 Which one is the King?
There is no single answer. TCP is a must for application where data integrity is a concern. However, UDP stands out in application where time is money. These both protocols have been serving us to make our internet experience better.
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