Which of the following statements is true about TCP?

TCP, or Transmission Control Protocol, is indeed a connection-oriented protocol that ensures data delivery. This means that before any data can be transmitted, a connection is established between the sender and the receiver, which is often referred to as the “three-way handshake.” This process includes the exchange of synchronization packets to confirm that both parties are ready to communicate.

One of the key features of TCP is that it provides reliable data transfer. This reliability is achieved through various mechanisms, such as error checking, data retransmission, and ordered delivery. If any packets of data are lost or arrive out of order, TCP will detect these issues and take the necessary steps to resend the missing packets or rearrange the packets to ensure they reach the destination in the correct sequence.

This is in stark contrast to connectionless protocols, like UDP (User Datagram Protocol), which do not guarantee delivery and do not establish a connection before data transmission. Similarly, the other options present a misunderstanding of TCP's functionality—it's not specifically limited to any single application like web browsing, nor does it inherently compress data for faster transmission. TCP primarily focuses on ensuring that data is delivered accurately and in an organized manner, which is fundamental for applications where data correctness and sequence are crucial.