What characteristic differentiates TCP from UDP?

The characteristic that differentiates TCP from UDP is that TCP is connection-oriented and ensures packet delivery and order. This means that before data can be transmitted using TCP, a connection must be established between the sender and the receiver through a process known as the three-way handshake. Once this connection is established, TCP provides reliable communication by ensuring that all packets sent are received correctly and in the order they were sent. If any packets are lost during transmission, TCP will automatically detect these losses and retransmit the missing packets.

In contrast, UDP is connectionless and does not guarantee delivery or maintain the order of packets. It is faster than TCP because it does not waste time establishing a connection or ensuring reliability, which makes it suitable for applications where speed is more critical than reliability, such as streaming media or online gaming. The foundational aspects of TCP’s reliability and ordered delivery make it the protocol of choice for applications that require a high level of data integrity, such as web browsing and file transfers.