Cybersecurity Foundations · 4 min

TCP vs UDP

Two ways to move data across a network

This lesson explains the concept, then checks your understanding in a short interactive exercise.

TCP: connection-oriented

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) sets up a connection before sending data, tracks whether each piece arrived, and puts pieces back in order.

Establishes a connection first
Confirms delivery (acknowledgement)
Re-sends lost pieces and reorders them

UDP: connectionless

UDP (User Datagram Protocol) sends data without setting up a connection or confirming delivery. That lower overhead means less delay — useful when speed matters more than guaranteed delivery of every piece.

No handshake, no delivery confirmation
Lower overhead, lower latency
Occasional loss is tolerated by the application

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