In the layered architecture of a network model, the whole task is divided into smaller tasks. This virtual circuit carries the stream of bytes across the internet. TCP creates an environment in which both the sender and receiver are connected by an imaginary tube known as a virtual circuit. TCP is a stream-oriented protocol as it allows the sender to send the data in the form of a stream of bytes and also allows the receiver to accept the data in the form of a stream of bytes. It is a full-duplex means that the data can transfer in both directions at the same time. When the data transfer is completed, then the connection will get terminated. It is a connection-oriented service that means the data exchange occurs only after the connection establishment. It orders and numbers each segment so that the TCP layer on the destination side can reassemble them based on their ordering.
This protocol ensures that the data reaches the intended receiver in the same order in which it is sent. In the acknowledgment mechanism, the receiver sends either positive or negative acknowledgment to the sender so that the sender can get to know whether the data packet has been received or needs to resend. It also supports the acknowledgment mechanism, which checks the state and sound arrival of the data. TCP is a reliable protocol as it follows the flow and error control mechanism. TCP is a transport layer protocol as it is used in transmitting the data from the sender to the receiver. The following are the features of a TCP protocol: As we know that TCP is a connection-oriented protocol, so the connection will remain established until the communication is not completed between the sender and the receiver. The TCP, on the other side, will reassemble the packets and transmits them to the application layer. Then it divides the data into a several packets, provides numbering to these packets, and finally transmits these packets to the destination. The main functionality of the TCP is to take the data from the application layer.
This protocol is used with an IP protocol, so together, they are referred to as a TCP/IP. It is a connection-oriented protocol that means it establishes the connection prior to the communication that occurs between the computing devices in a network. It is a transport layer protocol that facilitates the transmission of packets from source to destination. TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol.