congestion window

The congestion window is a concept in computer networking that controls how much data can be sent over a network connection before receiving an acknowledgment. Think of it as a traffic manager for data packets; it limits the amount of data "on the road" at any one time to prevent congestion and ensure smooth transmission. If too much data is sent too quickly, it can overwhelm the network, leading to delays or packet loss. By adjusting the congestion window size, networks can balance speed and reliability, improving overall performance and user experience.