Ethereum is a decentralized platform that runs smart contracts: applications that run exactly as programmed without any possibility of downtime, censorship, fraud or third-party interference. But, what type of protocol does Ethereum use to communicate between nodes or peers? Does Ethereum use UDP or TCP?
UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a connectionless protocol that is used for data transmission over IP networks. It is considered to be more efficient than TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) because it does not require the establishment of a connection between two hosts before sending data. UDP is used for applications that require low latency and, as such, is ideal for real-time applications such as video streaming and gaming. On the other hand, TCP is a connection-oriented protocol and is used for applications that require reliability, such as web browsing and email.
So, does Ethereum use UDP or TCP? Ethereum actually uses both protocols. The Ethereum network is based on the Kademlia Distributed Hash Table (DHT). Kademlia is a distributed hash table that uses UDP for broadcasting messages and TCP for direct communication between nodes. The primary purpose of the DHT is to allow nodes to quickly find other nodes in the network without needing to first establish a connection. UDP is used as the transport protocol for broadcasting messages, while TCP is used to establish connections between nodes.
Despite using both protocols, Ethereum is largely based on UDP. This is because UDP is more efficient and provides a better user experience than TCP. UDP is also better suited to handle sudden bursts of traffic, which is important for applications that require low latency.
UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a connectionless protocol that is used for data transmission over IP networks. It is considered to be more efficient than TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) because it does not require the establishment of a connection between two hosts before sending data. UDP is used for applications that require low latency and, as such, is ideal for real-time applications such as video streaming and gaming. On the other hand, TCP is a connection-oriented protocol and is used for applications that require reliability, such as web browsing and email.
So, does Ethereum use UDP or TCP? Ethereum actually uses both protocols. The Ethereum network is based on the Kademlia Distributed Hash Table (DHT). Kademlia is a distributed hash table that uses UDP for broadcasting messages and TCP for direct communication between nodes. The primary purpose of the DHT is to allow nodes to quickly find other nodes in the network without needing to first establish a connection. UDP is used as the transport protocol for broadcasting messages, while TCP is used to establish connections between nodes.
Despite using both protocols, Ethereum is largely based on UDP. This is because UDP is more efficient and provides a better user experience than TCP. UDP is also better suited to handle sudden bursts of traffic, which is important for applications that require low latency.