The full form of TCP is Transmission Control Protocol. It is a fundamental protocol in the Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP), responsible for reliable data transmission between devices on a network. TCP works by breaking data into packets, ensuring they are delivered in the correct order and retransmitting lost packets to guarantee data integrity.
Key Features of TCP:
- Reliable Data Transmission: TCP guarantees that data packets reach their destination in the correct order and without errors.
- Connection-Oriented: Before data transfer, TCP establishes a connection between the sender and receiver. This connection remains active until the transfer is complete.
- Flow Control: TCP manages the rate of data transmission to prevent congestion and ensure efficient utilization of network resources.
- Segmentation and Reassembly: TCP splits data into smaller packets for transmission and reassembles them at the destination.
Examples of TCP in Action:
- Web Browsing: When you visit a website, your web browser uses TCP to communicate with the web server to retrieve the requested web page.
- Email Communication: Email clients utilize TCP to send and receive emails over the internet.
- File Transfers: Tools like FTP (File Transfer Protocol) rely on TCP for transferring files between computers.
