A reliable byte stream
01TCP offers applications an ordered, reliable stream of bytes over a network that may lose, duplicate, or reorder packets.
Related RFCs and changes
“Updates” changes part of an earlier RFC. “Obsoletes” replaces it. This list shows selected related documents.
DIAGRAM§ 2.2 ↗
RFC 9293 · § 2.2EXAMPLE
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04
Deliver ordered bytes.
The application sees a stream, with no preserved write boundaries.
Protocol participantThreat or exceptionProtocol controlSimplified drawings · precise section references
Read the updated RFC section ↗
TCP preserves bytes, not application messages.
- Each direction has its own byte sequence space.
- TCP uses acknowledgments and retransmission to recover from loss.
- One application write need not correspond to one segment or one application read.
Reliability is subject to connection failure. Applications need their own framing and must handle errors; TCP cannot promise delivery after every failure.
Read the RFC section ↗Diagrams simplify the RFC. Read the linked sections for complete requirements.
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