Which protocol is primarily responsible for the reliable transmission of data over the internet?

TCP, or Transmission Control Protocol, is primarily responsible for the reliable transmission of data over the internet. It ensures that data packets sent from one device to another are delivered accurately and in the correct order. This is achieved through mechanisms such as error detection, acknowledgment of received packets, and retransmission of lost packets.

When data is transmitted using TCP, it establishes a connection between the sender and receiver, facilitating a stream of data to be sent in a reliable manner. Each packet sent is numbered, and the receiving device sends back an acknowledgment upon receipt. If a packet is lost or corrupted during transmission, TCP can detect this through its error-checking capabilities and will resend the affected packets until they are delivered correctly.

In contrast, the other options serve different purposes. UDP (User Datagram Protocol), for instance, allows for faster data transmission but does not guarantee reliability or order, which is advantageous for applications that prioritize speed over accuracy. FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is designed for transferring files rather than ensuring reliability of every single data packet. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is used for transmitting web pages and relies on TCP to provide a reliable connection for data transfer.