4/16/24, 11:32 AM Differences between TCP and UDP - GeeksforGeeks

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Differences between TCP and UDP

Last Updated : 06 May, 2023
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

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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.
UDPto ensure
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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.

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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 (TCP) Protocol (UDP)

Type of Service TCP is a connection- UDP is the Datagram-

oriented protocol. oriented protocol. This is
Connection because

orientation means that the there is no overhead for

communicating devices opening a connection,
should establish a maintaining a connection,
connection before or terminating a
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Basis Transmission Control User Datagram

Protocol (TCP) Protocol (UDP)

connection after types of network

transmitting the data. transmission.

TCP is reliable as it
The delivery of data to the
guarantees the delivery of
Reliability destination cannot be
data to the destination
guaranteed in UDP.
router.

TCP provides extensive

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

An acknowledgment No acknowledgment
Acknowledgment
segment is present. segment.

Sequencing of data is a
feature of Transmission There is no sequencing of
Control data in UDP. If the order is
Sequence required, it has to be
Protocol (TCP). this means
managed by the
that packets arrive in order
application layer.
at the receiver.

TCP is comparatively UDP is faster, simpler, and

Speed
slower than UDP. more efficient than TCP.

Retransmission of lost There is no retransmission

Retransmission packets is possible in TCP, of 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.
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Basis Transmission Control User Datagram

Protocol (TCP) Protocol (UDP)

Weight TCP is heavy-weight. UDP is lightweight.

Handshaking Uses handshakes such as It’s a connectionless

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

TCP doesn’t support UDP supports

Broadcasting
Broadcasting. Broadcasting.

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

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

The TCP connection is a UDP connection is a

Stream Type
byte stream. message stream.

Overhead Low but higher than UDP. Very low.

This protocol is used in

This protocol is primarily
situations where quick
utilized in situations when
communication is
a safe and trustworthy
necessary but where
Applications communication procedure
dependability is not a
is necessary, such as in
concern, such as VoIP,
email, on the web surfing,
game streaming, video,
and in military services.
and 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.
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UDP. experience on our website.
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data. The process is fast as compared to TCP, where we need to set up a
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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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