Explain the difference between TCP and UDP.

The distinction between TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is pivotal in networking, particularly regarding how data is transmitted over IP networks.

TCP is characterized as a connection-oriented protocol, which means that it establishes a connection between the sender and receiver before data can be sent. This process involves a handshake mechanism that ensures both ends are ready for communication. Importantly, TCP provides reliability through acknowledgment packets, meaning that it confirms whether the data sent has been received successfully. If any packets are lost during transmission, TCP is responsible for retransmitting those packets, thereby ensuring complete and accurate data delivery.

On the other hand, UDP is a connectionless protocol, which means it does not establish a connection before sending data. It transmits packets called datagrams without the need for prior handshakes or confirmations from the receiving end. This results in a faster transmission speed since there is no overhead associated with managing connections or checking for lost packets. However, the trade-off is that UDP does not guarantee the delivery of packets. They might arrive out of order, get lost, or even be duplicated, which makes UDP suitable for applications where speed is critical, and occasional data loss is acceptable, such as video streaming or online gaming.

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