Both TCP and SCTP are transport layer protocols that aim to provide a reliable and ordered delivery of messages between applications. However, there are some key differences between the two that you should be aware of before deciding which to use in your application. In this post, we’ll take a look at those differences and help you decide which protocol is right for you.
What is TCP?
TCP is a reliable transport protocol that is used by many applications and services. It is a connection-oriented protocol, which means that it establishes a connection between two devices before any data can be exchanged. TCP also uses sequence numbers to ensure that data is delivered in the correct order. In addition, TCP uses positive acknowledgment and flow control to ensure that data is only sent when the receiving device is ready to receive it. As a result, TCP is a reliable and robust transport protocol that can be used for a wide variety of applications.
What is SCTP?
SCTP is a protocol that provides reliable, ordered delivery of data packets over an IP network. It is designed to work with a variety of transport layer protocols, including UDP and TCP. SCTP is often used in applications that require high reliability, such as VoIP and streaming video. SCTP has several features that make it well-suited for these applications, including error correction, packet sequencing, and flow control. In addition, SCTP can be used to provide failover between different types of transport layer protocols. This makes SCTP an attractive option for mission-critical applications.
Difference between TCP and SCTP
TCP and SCTP both belong to the Transport layer of the TCP/IP protocol stack. TCP is known as the Transmission Control Protocol while SCTP is known as the Stream Control Transmission Protocol. TCP is a connection-oriented protocol while SCTP is a connectionless protocol. TCP uses a three-way handshake for connection establishment while SCTP uses a four-way handshake.
TCP uses sequence numbers to keep track of data while SCTP uses stream identifiers. TCP uses congestion control algorithms to avoid congestion while SCTP uses the Slow Start algorithm. TCP can be used only over reliable networks while SCTP can be used over both reliable and unreliable networks. Both TCP and SCTP are available as options in most major operating systems.
Conclusion
So, what’s the difference between TCP and SCTP? The two protocols are actually quite different. TCP is a connection-oriented protocol that ensures reliable delivery of data through acknowledgments and retransmissions. In contrast, SCTP is a message-oriented protocol that does not guarantee the reliability or ordering of messages. Because of this, SCTP can be more efficient in some cases by bundling multiple messages into a single packet. However, if one of those messages is lost or delivered out of order, the entire bundle will be affected. If you need to ensure reliable delivery of data between your applications, then TCP would be the better choice.
