What is the difference between TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) in computer networking?

TCP is a connection-oriented protocol that provides reliable and ordered delivery of data packets over a network. It ensures that data is transmitted without errors and in the correct sequence by establishing a connection, acknowledging received packets, and retransmitting lost packets. UDP, on the other hand, is a connectionless protocol that prioritizes speed and efficiency over reliability. It sends data packets without establishing a connection or guaranteeing delivery, making it suitable for applications such as real-time communication and multimedia streaming where occasional packet loss is acceptable.