UDP Client-Server Sockets
Develop connectionless, datagram-based communication using UDP sockets for applications where speed is prioritized over reliability.
What is UDP?
Welcome to UDP! While TCP focused on reliable, connection-oriented communication, UDP (User Datagram Protocol) offers a different approach: connectionless and unreliable.
Think of UDP like sending a postcard. You write the message and send it, but you don't know if it arrived, or in what order, or if it got lost. It's fast, but there's no guarantee.
UDP vs. TCP: Key Differences
Understanding when to use UDP means knowing its core differences from TCP:
- Connectionless: No handshake needed before sending data.
- Unreliable: No guaranteed delivery, ordering, or duplicate protection.
- Faster: Less overhead due to no connection setup or reliability checks.
- Datagrams: Data is sent in independent packets called datagrams.
UDP is perfect for applications where speed is more critical than guaranteed delivery.
All lessons in this course
- Introduction to Socket API
- TCP Client-Server Sockets
- UDP Client-Server Sockets
- Non-Blocking Sockets and select()