What is the function of the UDP protocol in creating web applications?

The UDP (User Datagram Protocol) in web applications is used for transmitting data without establishing a connection, which provides low latency and reduces network load.

In web applications, UDP is used when speed is crucial and some packet loss is acceptable, for example:

• In streaming video and audio (live streaming)
• In online gaming for transmitting game states
• In real-time systems where latency is more critical than data loss

Unlike TCP, UDP does not guarantee delivery and order of packets, but allows for faster data exchange, which is useful for certain scenarios.