Does UDP provide mechanisms to ensure that data is reliably delivered?

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) does not provide mechanisms to ensure that data is reliably delivered. Unlike Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), which establishes a connection and includes features for error checking, flow control, and retransmission of lost packets, UDP operates as a connectionless protocol. It is designed for scenarios where speed is more critical than reliability, allowing for faster data transmission without the overhead of establishing and maintaining connections or confirming that packets were received correctly.

UDP allows for the rapid sending of messages, making it suitable for applications like live video streaming, online gaming, or voice over IP (VoIP), where some data loss may be acceptable in exchange for lower latency. Since it does not guarantee delivery, order, or error correction, any application relying on UDP must implement its own mechanisms if reliability is needed. Thus, the answer indicating that UDP does not ensure reliable delivery is accurate.