Protocols and standards on the web

From Computer Science Wiki
Networks[1]

In telecommunications, a communication protocol is a system of rules that allows two or more entities of a communications system to transmit information via any kind of variation of a physical quantity. These are the rules or standard that defines the syntax, semantics and synchronization of communication and possible error recovery methods. Protocols may be implemented by hardware, software, or a combination of both.

Communicating systems use well-defined formats (protocol) for exchanging messages. Each message has an exact meaning intended to elicit a response from a range of possible responses pre-determined for that particular situation. [2]

Network protocols[edit]

This video is very technical, but one of the best I could find about network protocols. It may be helpful to review the OSI model prior to watching this.

IP protocol[edit]

TCP protocol[edit]

Explain the importance of protocols[edit]

Without protocols and standards we wouldn't be able to achieve interoperability. That is, if my website used a totally different protocol for storing data (non-html) your browser would not be able to parse it, and you as a user wouldn't be able to understand it.

Protocols are important because they:

  • Ensure data integrity (overall completeness, accuracy and consistency of data[3])
  • Regulate flow control (In data communications, flow control is the process of managing the rate of data transmission between two nodes to prevent a fast sender from overwhelming a slow receiver.[4])
  • Manage deadlock (A condition that occurs when two processes are each waiting for the other to complete before proceeding [5])
  • Manage congestion (Network congestion in data networking is the reduced quality of service that occurs when a network node or link is carrying more data than it can handle.[6])
  • Manage error checking (techniques that enable reliable delivery of digital data over unreliable communication channels.[7])

Why standards are important[edit]

Value of Creating Standards at W3C[8] W3C continues to evolve to provide the community a productive environment for creating Web standards. W3C standards:

  • are created following a consensus-based decision process;
  • consider aspects of accessibility, privacy, security, and internationalization;
  • reflect the views of diverse industries and global stakeholders;
  • balance speed, fairness, public accountability, and quality;
  • benefit from Royalty-Free patent licensing commitments from participants;
  • are stable (and W3C seeks to ensure their persistence at the published URI);
  • benefit from wide review from groups inside and outside W3C;
  • are downloadable at no cost;
  • are maintained in a predictable fashion;
  • are strengthened through interoperability testing;

Do you understand this topic?[edit]

You should be able to:

  • Define protocol
  • Explain the importance of networking protocols
  • Explain the importance of standards on the web

Do you have an advanced understanding about this topic?[edit]

  • Define data integrity
  • Define source integrity
  • Define flow control
  • Define deadlock
  • Define congestion management
  • Define error correction
  • Define error checking

See Also[edit]

Standards[edit]

These standards are used from the IB Computer Science Subject Guide[9]

  • Explain the importance of protocols and standards on the web.

References[edit]