Streaming vs Broadcast

In the context of network protocol, streaming and broadcasting are two methods for transmitting data packets. Streaming, often performed over TCP, entails sending data from one source to a single specific destination. This method is comparable to a one-to-one phone call. The streaming process is characterized by steady data transmission directly to a single receiver who has initiated a connection. On the contrary, broadcasting refers to the transmittal of data packets from one source to all possible destinations in the network. Similar to a public announcement over a loudspeaker, the data is sent to all receptive entities. Broadcasting primarily utilizes the UDP protocol and does not require a direct connection or acknowledgement of receipt from the recipients.