Internet Protocol (IP)

Internet Protocol (IP) is a set of rules that governs how data is sent over the internet. It acts like a postal service for digital information, assigning unique addresses to every device connected to the internet (like your computer or smartphone) so they can send and receive messages. When you access a website, your device uses IP to locate the server hosting the site and transmit requests and data. There are two main versions: IPv4, which uses a 32-bit address system, and IPv6, which is newer and allows for many more addresses to accommodate the growing number of devices online.