UDP (User Datagram Protocol)

UDP, or User Datagram Protocol, is one of the core protocols in the internet’s transport layer. It’s a connectionless and lightweight protocol that facilitates the exchange of data packets between devices on a network. UDP is often used for applications where speed and efficiency are prioritized over reliability.

How does UDP work?

UDP is connectionless, meaning it doesn’t establish a dedicated connection between sender and receiver before sending data. This makes it faster but less reliable than connection-oriented protocols like TCP.

It also has minimal overhead, making it more efficient for certain types of communication, such as real-time streaming, voice-over IP (VoIP), and online gaming.

And unlike TCP, which includes error checking and retransmission of lost packets, UDP does not provide these features. It assumes that applications will handle error checking if needed.

Because UDP is stateless, it doesn’t keep track of the state of the connection. This makes it suitable for applications where the sender and receiver can manage the communication independently.

What are the use cases of UDP?

UDP is commonly used in scenarios where speed and low latency are crucial, even if some data loss is acceptable. Some common applications of UDP include online gaming, streaming media, DNS (Domain Name System) queries, and IoT (Internet of Things) device communication.