The difference between udp and tcp protocols, an article to take you to understand the

What is the UDP protocol?

The UDP protocol, known as the User Datagram Protocol, is a transport layer protocol that is simply like a postman delivering a letter to the recipient's doorstep without the need for a signature. Simply put, it is like a letter carrier, delivering the letter to the recipient's doorstep, without the need for the other party to sign to confirm the receipt of the letter.The most important feature of UDP is "lightweight" and "connectionless", which does not require the establishment of a connection, and does not guarantee the reliable transmission of data.

As an example, you watch live broadcasts on your cell phone at home, and the smoothness or otherwise of the live broadcast screen relies heavily on the UDP protocol. Because UDP transmission speed is fast, even if you lose a few packets, it will not affect the overall viewing experience. This is like watching a basketball game, even if you miss a wonderful moment, the overall game process can still continue.

What is the TCP protocol?

Compared to UDP, TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is like a more rigorous mailman. Not only does he have to deliver the letter, but he also has to make sure that the other party signs for it, and he has to keep checking the status of the letter during the delivery process. tcp is connection oriented, and it needs to establish a connection before sending the data, and ensure that the data is transmitted reliably.

To use an analogy, TCP is like when you're talking to a friend on the phone. Not only do you have to dial the number, but you also have to make sure that the other person heard every word you said. If the signal is bad in the middle of the call, you will also reconfirm what you just said. This approach is reliable, but it also consumes more time and resources.

Key differences between UDP and TCP

After understanding the basic concepts of UDP and TCP, let's take a look at their main differences.

1. Connectivity

UDP is connectionless and does not require a connection to be established before sending data, while TCP is connection-oriented and requires a connection to be established before data can be transmitted.

2. Reliability

UDP does not guarantee reliable transmission of data, packets may be lost, duplicated or disordered; whereas TCP guarantees reliable transmission of data through acknowledgement mechanism, retransmission mechanism, etc.

3. Speed

Since UDP does not have a complex connection and acknowledgement mechanism, the transmission speed is faster; whereas TCP is relatively slower due to the need to establish a connection and acknowledgement.

4. Application scenarios

UDP is commonly used in applications with high real-time requirements, such as live video streaming, online games, etc., while TCP is commonly used in applications with high reliability requirements for data transmission, such as web browsing and file transfer.

Advantages and disadvantages of UDP and TCP

Advantages of UDP

1. Faster transmission: UDP is faster due to the absence of complex connection and confirmation mechanisms.

2. Less resource consumption: UDP has less header information and consumes less network resources.

Disadvantages of UDP

1. Unreliable: UDP does not guarantee reliable transmission of data; packets may be lost, duplicated, or garbled.

2. No flow control: UDP does not have a flow control mechanism, which may lead to network congestion.

Advantages of TCP

1. High reliability: TCP ensures reliable data transmission through the confirmation mechanism, retransmission mechanism and so on.

2. Flow control: TCP has a flow control mechanism that prevents network congestion.

Disadvantages of TCP

1. Slow transmission speed: TCP is relatively slow due to the need to establish a connection and confirm it.

2. More resource consumption: TCP has more header information, which takes up more network resources.

How do I choose whether to use UDP or TCP?

In practice, how do we choose whether to use UDP or TCP? This depends largely on the specific application scenario and requirements.

If you need applications that are highly real-time and not sensitive to data loss, such as live video streaming and online gaming, UDP is a better choice. It has fast transmission speeds, and even if you lose some packets, it won't affect the overall experience too much.

And if you need applications with high reliability and strict data transfer requirements, such as file transfer, web browsing, etc., TCP is a better choice. It ensures reliable data transfer through various mechanisms to make sure you don't lose any important information.

summarize

In general, UDP and TCP have their own advantages and disadvantages, and are suitable for different application scenarios. UDP transmission speed is fast, less resource consumption, but does not guarantee the reliable transmission of data; TCP transmission is highly reliable, with flow control, but relatively slow, more resource consumption. In the actual application, we need to choose the appropriate transmission protocol according to the specific needs.

Hopefully, through this article, you will be able to understand the difference between UDP and TCP more clearly and make a more informed choice in real-world applications. Just like choosing a car, a fast sports car and a stable SUV have their own merits, the key lies in what kind of driving experience you need.