Julia EvansJun 19, 2024

when I asked people to explain how UDP works I got a lot of answers to the effect of "it's spray and pray"

but I'm having trouble thinking of examples of UDP-based protocols that actually work in a "spray and pray" way —

* DNS is "send 1 packet, retry if you don't get a reply”
* QUIC is a sophisticated system for streaming data over UDP
* I'd guess that video protocols correct for packet loss
* maybe statsd is a "spray and pray” system?

(please do not reply to this explaining how UDP works)

Show threadRandom Damage 🌻Jun 19, 2024
@b0rk I think that's the difference between raw UDP and protocols built on top of UDP
Show threadviqJun 19, 2024

@RandomDamage
I came here to say basically that. UDP is "spray and pray". Then things like QUIC or video/audio streaming protocols build complex systems and rules on what to do if packets arrive out of order or not at all, instead of depending on underlying TCP to take care of that for them.

Or I guess putting it differently, UDP is "I don't care about reliable delivery at "transport" layer, I have a better solution for that in the application" (which also may be TCP inside VPN)
@b0rk

Show threadJulia Evans
@viq haha I was desperately trying to avoid this kind of reply explaining the basics of UDP with "(please do not reply to this explaining how UDP works)" but I guess it failed
Jun 19, 2024 at 1:49pmWeb
Show threadviqJun 19, 2024
@b0rk
I apologise :(