In terms of internet protocols, what does "connectionless" mean?

The term "connectionless" in the context of internet protocols refers to protocols that do not establish a dedicated connection before transmitting data. This means that data packets can be sent from source to destination without the need for a session to be established first. The sender can transmit data independently, and the network can route these packets based on the information contained within each packet itself.

This model is typical of protocols like User Datagram Protocol (UDP), which allows for fast transmission of data with minimal overhead since it does not require the setup and teardown processes associated with a connection-oriented protocol. The main advantage of connectionless protocols is their efficiency and reduced latency, making them ideal for applications where speed is critical and occasional data loss is acceptable, such as streaming media or online gaming.

The other choices involve characteristics of connection-oriented protocols, such as requiring a handshake (which is a form of establishing a connection), guaranteeing packet delivery, or maintaining continuous connections, all of which are not applicable to connectionless protocols.