TCP vs UDP
TCP vs UDP
You're picking up on some important points here. The shift toward UDP isn't just random—it's driven by efficiency needs, especially with protocols like RTP, RTSP, and QUIC. These systems handle data delivery without the heavyweight overhead of TCP. For instance, QUIC combines UDP benefits with smarter mechanisms at the network layer to manage packet order, reducing delays. While UDP itself doesn't inherently prevent packet loss, modern solutions are improving reliability without sacrificing speed. Cloudflare might be leveraging similar strategies, though I haven't verified that yet. Overall, relying on UDP alone isn't foolproof against drops, but combining it with smarter transport layers can make a big difference.
Initially, unless you manage all routers and switches to their final location... packet loss occurs. It’s normal as data moves beyond your network into the public internet, resulting in some lost packets and varying connection quality—for instance, 4G typically experiences higher packet loss due to oversubscription and fluctuating signal strength. Good news: TCP offers extensions and congestion control methods to manage packet loss and adapt to network conditions. Features like SACK and Nagle’s algorithm can improve performance across different connections. However, with the rise of VoIP, streaming, and real-time protocols, delay and latency become more critical. Using UDP provides better "perceived" performance by prioritizing traffic over strict ACK handling and retransmissions, which is a key advantage of this protocol.
I was planning to share a pun about UDP, but it might be unclear.