What is the main feature of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) compared to TCP?

The primary feature of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) that distinguishes it from Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is its lack of error-checking. UDP is a connectionless protocol, meaning it does not establish a dedicated end-to-end connection before sending data. As a result, it does not include mechanisms for ensuring the integrity of the data being transmitted, such as acknowledgment of receipt, retransmission of lost packets, or sequencing of packets. This design choice allows UDP to transmit data with lower latency, making it suitable for applications where speed is critical, such as online gaming, streaming media, and voice over IP (VoIP), where small amounts of data loss may be acceptable.

In contrast, TCP provides a reliable communication channel through its error-checking and recovery features, ensuring data integrity but often at the cost of increased latency. Other protocols may support stateful communication, which involves maintaining a consistent connection, but UDP operates statelessly, further highlighting its differences from TCP in terms of error handling and reliability.