What is a defining feature of TCP as a transport protocol?

A defining feature of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is its ability to ensure that data is transmitted without errors. This is achieved through a combination of mechanisms such as error checking, acknowledgments, and retransmissions of lost packets. When a sender transmits data using TCP, it breaks the data into smaller segments and sends them while keeping track of the segments that have been acknowledged by the receiver. If any segment is not acknowledged within a certain timeframe, TCP automatically retransmits it.

Additionally, TCP establishes a connection before data transmission through a process known as the three-way handshake, which helps to confirm that both the sender and receiver are ready to communicate. This connection-oriented approach is different from other protocols, such as UDP (User Datagram Protocol), which does not guarantee delivery and does not require a connection setup. Consequently, the reliability that TCP provides is a fundamental aspect of its design, making it suitable for applications where data integrity is critical.