What is a packet in networking?

A packet in networking is best defined as a data unit that is routed with routing information and data. When information is transmitted over a network, it is divided into smaller, manageable pieces called packets. Each packet contains not only the actual data being transmitted but also important routing information such as the source and destination addresses, sequence number, and other control information necessary for the data to be reassembled correctly at its destination.

This structure allows for efficient data transmission and helps with error checking and retransmission of lost packets. Networking protocols like TCP/IP rely on this concept, ensuring that data can be efficiently managed across potentially complex network paths. By breaking data into packets, networking systems can optimize bandwidth usage, facilitate error recovery, and improve overall communication reliability.