A communication protocol is a set of rules used by computer systems and devices to pass information back and forth. It defines the format and syntax of transmitted data and can be implemented by software or hardware. Protocols can establish operating parameters and enable error detection and correction. They are often layered within a system or framework, allowing the internet to work consistently with different types of computers and devices.
A set of rules that computer systems and other technological devices use to communicate or to pass information back and forth with other systems and devices is known as a communication protocol. A protocol defines the format and syntax of the transmitted data. This could take the form of special commands sent before the actual data, or it could be the transmission of entire serialized objects of a specific type. Protocols can be implemented by software or can be integrated into hardware and embedded systems. There are many communication protocols in use, some of which are proprietary for security purposes and some of which are open source for development purposes.
A communication protocol is built by establishing a syntax that systems can understand and follow. While the actual semantics of a protocol may vary, most are similar because they are based on the same underlying principles and hardware limitations. Once a protocol is established, all systems that understand the protocol will be able to send and receive data with other similar systems. In this way, a communication protocol looks a lot like developing a common language used to convey information to and from someone else who knows that language.
Hardware protocols are often used to establish operating parameters for two devices. These protocols can establish such constants as the transfer rate, the maximum size of a data block, and encryption and compression methods. While very efficient, hardware protocols are primarily concerned with establishing the physical link between two devices rather than actually interpreting data or other requests.
Software protocols can be very flexible and can do more than just transfer arbitrary data. Once two pieces of software have implemented a communication protocol, they can enable any number of algorithms or functions. The most common are error detection and correction.
Error detection and correction are ways in which data, when transferred through a specific protocol, can be redundantly checked for errors. This may be necessary when the physical lines between devices are unreliable or have a large amount of noise that could corrupt a signal. Several algorithms have been developed that can help check and restore the integrity of data that has been sent.
Protocols are not a unique mechanism and are very often layered within a system or framework. Network protocols are almost always layered. This means that there are different protocols assigned to handle different tasks. Some provide access to resources in the operating system, while others may just blindly forward information to another node. The layering of communication protocols is one of the foundations of the internet which allows it to work consistently with so many different types of computers and devices.
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