Datagram Networking
Datagram networking is a communication model in computer networks where data is transmitted in discrete, independent packets called datagrams, without establishing a dedicated connection beforehand. It operates on a connectionless protocol, such as UDP (User Datagram Protocol), where each packet is routed individually and may arrive out of order or be lost. This approach prioritizes speed and efficiency over reliability, making it suitable for applications where low latency is critical.
Developers should learn datagram networking for scenarios requiring real-time performance, such as online gaming, video streaming, VoIP, and IoT sensor data transmission, where occasional packet loss is acceptable. It is also essential for implementing broadcast or multicast communications, such as in service discovery protocols like mDNS, and for building lightweight network applications where the overhead of connection-oriented protocols like TCP is prohibitive.