NTP
NTP (Network Time Protocol) is a networking protocol used to synchronize the clocks of computer systems over packet-switched, variable-latency data networks. It is designed to achieve high accuracy and reliability in timekeeping, typically within milliseconds over the public internet and microseconds in local networks. NTP operates in a hierarchical client-server architecture, with servers referencing highly accurate time sources like atomic clocks or GPS receivers.
Developers should learn and use NTP when building distributed systems, financial applications, logging systems, or any scenario where precise time synchronization is critical for consistency, security, or compliance. It is essential for preventing issues like data corruption, authentication failures, or debugging difficulties due to time drift, and is widely implemented in operating systems, network devices, and cloud services.