Difference between TCP and UDP
Main difference
The terms used on the Internet are very complicated and can confuse the best. Because technical language is always used, it is not easy to figure out the exact meaning of everything, therefore most people make their own decision on a specific definition of a word and then use it accordingly. Two of these terms that are generally used without knowing their exact meaning are TCP and UDP. How they differ from each other is explained in the lines that follow. The Internet protocol is the set of regulations that exist to work on the Internet or in any network and is used to share data. These two terms are two different ways of transmitting this data. One is known as the Transmission Control Protocol while the other is called the User Datagram Protocol. The main difference between these two is that TCP uses connections to send and receive data over the Internet, while UDP does not require connections to send data. In TCP, data is sent over the network quickly, but in UDP the data is sent in different segments. The information is sent and obtained from various computers in the transmission control protocol but in the universal datagram protocol, the information is sent over the network and its communication ends. From this it can be concluded that TCP is more secure compared to UDP.Most of the websites that have to transport a package of material from one place to another depend more on TCP due to the safety factor, while most applications and games that need data to be sent efficiently use UDP due to its straightforward function. Therefore, it can be seen that most websites prefer the transmission control protocol, but most applications and games prefer the user datagram protocol. For sending data, TCP inherits them in the form of bytes that are sent over the network without any characterization of their types and are considered as an entity. UDP sends different packets that are checked along with their limits and the original information is transmitted over the network. The data is organized in a specific order and requires the different packets to create a connection, while UDP does not organize the information, for therefore no packages are needed. Therefore, it can be said that TCP is heavier than UDP. Here is another explanation of both networks. TCP inherits it in the form of bytes that are sent over the network without any characterization of their types and are considered as an entity. UDP sends different packets that are checked along with their limits and the original information is transmitted over the network. The data is organized in a specific order and requires the different packets to create a connection, while UDP does not organize the information, therefore no packets are needed. Therefore, it can be said that TCP is heavier than UDP. Here is another explanation of both networks. TCP inherits it in the form of bytes that are sent over the network without any characterization of their types and are considered as an entity. UDP sends different packets that are checked along with their limits and the original information is transmitted over the network. The data is organized in a specific order and requires the different packets to create a connection, whereas UDP does not organize the information, therefore no packets are needed. Therefore, it can be said that TCP is heavier than UDP. Here is another explanation of both networks. The data is organized in a specific order and requires the different packets to create a connection, while UDP does not organize the information, therefore no packets are needed. Therefore, it can be said that TCP is heavier than UDP. Here is another explanation of both networks. The data is organized in a specific order and requires the different packages to create a connection, while UDP does not organize the information therefore no packets are needed. Therefore, it can be said that TCP is heavier than UDP. Here is another explanation of both networks.
Comparative chart
TCP | UDP | |
Full name | Transmission Control Protocol | User datagram protocol |
Data | Data can be sent and received | Data can only be transmitted |
Options | Fix flow control and recognition | None |
Trustworthy | You can be sure that data will be received | No assurance can be given that data will be received |
What is TCP?
It stands for Transmission Control Protocol, which is a way of sending and receiving data over the Internet. TCP has many features that make it favorable for websites that want to share and get information at the same time. It is based on the connection where the material is sent in the form of broadcasts and is received by other computers, resulting in the creation of a link. It is reliable, and all information that is moved from one place is guaranteed to reach another place in the particular order in which it was sent. This order is maintained due to the presence of three packets that guarantee the exact numbering of the data sent, which makes TCP heavier in comparison. There is flow control and an acknowledgment is sent every time all the information completes your transaction. If the data is not sent, the transmission control protocol will try to send it again until it is delivered. All of these features make it the most common protocol available.
What is UDP?
It is known as the user datagram protocol, and in some cases it is also called the universal datagram protocol. It is most used by applications and games that require data to be sent quickly and in large quantities. There is no connection between the networks because the return of the information is not required. The material is addressed in the form of messages and there is no maintenance of order, this is because UDP does not use packets that maintain the sequence and therefore it is lighter. There is also no guarantee that the information that is sent has been received because it does not provide the recognition function. The keep-flow feature is also missing. It also helps with functions like video streaming and voice recording, and once the data is sent in the form of different segments,
Differences in a nutshell
- TCP is known as the transmission control protocol, while UDP is known as the user datagram protocol.
- TCP depends on connections, whereas there are no connections on UDP.
- Data can be sent and received in TCP, but data can only be transmitted in UDP.
- TCP is heavier because it uses packets to establish connections, but UDP does not need containers for this purpose and is lightweight.
- TCP is reliable for data transfer, while UDP is less reliable.
- There is disposition and handshake flow control in TCP, but these three options are not available in UDP.
- Different websites use more TCP, while applications and games prefer UDP.
- TCP sends material in the form of streams that have no structure, while UDP sends data in the form of messages.
- Overhead is added to the network on TCP, while no overhead is added on UDP.
- You can be sure that the data will be received in TCP while there is no guarantee that the data will reach the other side in UDP.
Final Thought
TCP and UDP are two terms that belong to the same family but are very different from each other. There are many differences between them that have been mentioned above that help to create a clear understanding of how they differ and then help people to how they are working and what exactly is happening between them.