Differences Aptitude

between
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TCP and UDP
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Prerequisite – Transport Layer responsibilities

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP) both
are protocols of the Transport Layer. TCP is a connection-oriented protocol
where as UDP is a part of the Internet Protocol suite, referred to as the UDP/IP
suite. Unlike TCP, it is an unreliable and connectionless protocol.

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is one of the main protocols of the
Internet protocol suite. It lies between the Application and Network Layers
which are used in providing reliable delivery services. It is a connection-
oriented protocol for communications that helps in the exchange of messages
between different devices over a network. The Internet Protocol (IP), which
establishes the technique for sending data packets between computers, works
with TCP.

Transmission Control Protocol

Features of TCP

TCP keeps track of the segments being transmitted or received by assigning

numbers to every single one of them.
Flow control limits the rate at which a sender transfers data. This is done to
ensure reliable delivery.
TCP implements an error control mechanism for reliable data transfer.
TCP takes into account the level of congestion in the network.

Advantages of TCP

It is reliable for maintaining a connection between Sender and Receiver.

It is responsible for sending data in a particular sequence.
Its operations are not dependent on OS.
It allows and supports many routing protocols.
It can reduce the speed of data based on the speed of the receiver.

Disadvantages of TCP

It is slower than UDP and it takes more bandwidth.

Slower upon starting of transfer of a file.
Not suitable for LAN and PAN Networks.
It does not have a multicast or broadcast category.
It does not load the whole page if a single data of the page is missing.

User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a Transport Layer protocol. UDP is a part of
the Internet Protocol suite, referred to as the UDP/IP suite. Unlike TCP, it is an
unreliable and connectionless protocol. So, there is no need to establish a
connection before data transfer. The UDP helps to establish low-latency and
loss-tolerating connections establish over the network. The UDP enables
process-to-process communication.
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User Datagram Protocol

Features of UDP

Used for simple request-response communication when the size of data is

less and hence there is lesser concern about flow and error control.
It is a suitable protocol for multicasting as UDP supports packet switching.
UDP is used for some routing update protocols like RIP(Routing Information
Protocol).
Normally used for real-time applications which can not tolerate uneven
delays between sections of a received message.

Advantages of UDP

It does not require any connection for sending or receiving data.

Broadcast and Multicast are available in UDP.
UDP can operate on a large range of networks.
UDP has live and real-time data.
UDP can deliver data if all the components of the data are not complete.
Disadvantages of UDP

We can not have any way to acknowledge the successful transfer of data.
UDP cannot have the mechanism to track the sequence of data.
UDP is connectionless, and due to this, it is unreliable to transfer data.
In case of a Collision, UDP packets are dropped by Routers in comparison to
TCP.
UDP can drop packets in case of detection of errors.

Which Protocol is Better: TCP or UDP?

The answer to this question is difficult because it totally depends on what
work we are doing and what type of data is being delivered. UDP is better in
the case of online gaming as it allows us to work lag-free. TCP is better if we
are transferring data like photos, videos, etc. because it ensures that data must
be correct has to be sent.

In general, both TCP and UDP are useful in the context of the work assigned
by us. Both have advantages upon the works we are performing, that’s why it
is difficult to say, which one is better.

Difference Between TCP and UDP

Where TCP is Used?

Sending Emails
Transferring Files
Web Browsing

Where UDP is Used?

Gaming
Video Streaming
 Online Video Chats

Differences between TCP and UDP

The main differences between TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP
(User Datagram Protocol) are:

Basis Transmission Control User Datagram Protocol

Protocol (TCP) (UDP)

UDP is the Datagram-

TCP is a connection-oriented oriented protocol. This is
protocol. Connection because

orientation means that the there is no overhead for

communicating devices opening a connection,
Type of Service
should establish a connection maintaining a connection, or
before transmitting data and terminating a connection.
should close the connection UDP is efficient for broadcast
after transmitting the data. and multicast types of
network transmission.

TCP is reliable as it The delivery of data to the

Reliability guarantees the delivery of destination cannot be
data to the destination router. guaranteed in UDP.

TCP provides extensive error-

checking mechanisms.
Error checking UDP has only the basic error-
mechanism It is because it provides flow checking mechanism using
control and acknowledgment checksums.
of data.

An acknowledgment No acknowledgment
Acknowledgment
segment is present. segment.

Sequence Sequencing of data is a There is no sequencing of

feature of Transmission data in UDP. If the order is
Control required, it has to be
managed by the application
Protocol (TCP). this means
layer.
that packets arrive in order at
 Basis Transmission Control User Datagram Protocol
Protocol (TCP) (UDP)

the receiver.

TCP is comparatively slower UDP is faster, simpler, and

Speed
than UDP. more efficient than TCP.

Retransmission of lost There is no retransmission of

Retransmission packets is possible in TCP, lost packets in the User
but not in UDP. Datagram Protocol (UDP).

TCP has a (20-60) bytes UDP has an 8 bytes fixed-

Header Length
variable length header. length header.

Weight TCP is heavy-weight. UDP is lightweight.

Handshaking Uses handshakes such as It’s a connectionless protocol

Techniques SYN, ACK, SYN-ACK i.e. No handshake

TCP doesn’t support

Broadcasting UDP supports Broadcasting.
Broadcasting.

TCP is used by HTTP, HTTPs, UDP is used by DNS, DHCP,

Protocols
FTP, SMTP and Telnet. TFTP, SNMP, RIP, and VoIP.

The TCP connection is a byte UDP connection is a message

Stream Type
stream. stream.

Overhead Low but higher than UDP. Very low.

This protocol is primarily This protocol is used in

utilized in situations when a situations where quick
safe and trustworthy communication is necessary
Applications communication procedure is but where dependability is
necessary, such as in email, not a concern, such as VoIP,
on the web surfing, and game streaming, video, and
in military services. music streaming, etc.
Example: Suppose there are two houses, H1 and H2, and a letter has to be
sent from H1 to H2. But there is a river in between those two houses. Now
how can we send the letter?
Solution 1: Make a bridge over the river and then it can be delivered.
Solution 2: Get it delivered by a pigeon.

Consider the first solution as TCP. A connection has to be made (bridge) to

get the data (letter) delivered. The data is reliable because it will directly
reach another end without loss of data or error.
The second solution is UDP. No connection is required for sending the data.
The process is fast as compared to TCP, where we need to set up a
connection(bridge). But the data is not reliable: we don’t know whether the
pigeon will go in the right direction, will drop the letter on the way, or some
issue is encountered mid-travel.

FAQs
1. Which is faster: TCP or UDP?

UDP is faster than TCP. The reason for the faster UDP is its non-existent
acknowledge packet (ACK) which allows the streaming of continuous packets
where as TCP always works on the acknowledgment of a set of packets
calculated with the help of TCP window size and Round Trip Time (RTT).

2. Which is better for Video Conferencing?

Both Protocols, TCP and UDP have several practical uses in day-to-day life,
but TCP has come as a better solution nowadays in the modern era as a
solution for this question of who is better at Video Conferencing. The reason
for this is because of the ability of UDP to order data correctly and it also
produces the output without error. TCP can also be used for Video
Conferencing when we have to focus more on quality rather than speed. UDP
is generally used when speed matters most rather than the quality of the
product. Some data packets might be lost or somehow received out of order,
but UDP is more prominently used in the case of live streaming.

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