Communication Protocols You Should Know

Protocols are the rules that let devices and programs exchange data. Knowing a few core ones helps you build reliable apps, fix issues faster, and protect information.

Common families

  • TCP/IP basics: Data travels as packets. TCP handles reliable delivery, ordering, and error checking. IP routes packets across networks. Together they form the backbone of most online services.

  • HTTP and HTTPS: The most common way apps talk to services uses a simple request/response model. HTTPS adds TLS to keep data private in transit. Status codes tell clients what happened, from success to errors.

  • Websockets: For real-time needs, a persistent connection lets messages flow in both directions. Useful for live chat, dashboards, or collaborative apps.

  • MQTT and AMQP: For messaging. MQTT is lightweight and popular in sensors and devices. AMQP is more feature-rich and common in business messaging. Both use a broker to route messages between parts of a system.

Choosing a protocol

Think about latency, bandwidth, reliability, and security. If you need immediate updates with small messages, WebSockets or MQTT fit well. For APIs and web services, HTTP/HTTPS is standard, with JSON or binary payloads. For guaranteed delivery with complex flows, TCP with clear retry rules and timeouts helps. Evaluate compatibility with clients, available libraries, and operator needs.

Practical tips

  • Define the goal first: real-time data, durable delivery, or simple fetches.
  • Match payloads to the protocol: compact formats reduce costs; JSON or Protobuf are common.
  • Include error handling: retries, backoff, and clear status messages.
  • Test with real traffic and observe performance to pick the best option.

Security matters

Enable encryption, validate certificates, and use authenticated access. Do not send passwords in plain text. Prefer token-based methods and rotate credentials regularly. Use certificate pinning where possible and audit permissions.

Summary

These protocols cover most everyday needs. Start by learning TCP/IP basics, then pick HTTP(S) for services, WebSockets for live data, and MQTT or AMQP for messaging. With clear requirements, your system becomes easier to build and safer to run. Practice with small projects to see how each protocol behaves in the wild.

Key Takeaways

  • Decide based on real-time needs, reliability, and security.
  • HTTP(S) remains the standard for APIs; enable TLS by default.
  • For live updates or messaging, choose WebSockets, MQTT, or AMQP as appropriate.