What is a major characteristic of User Datagram Protocol (UDP)?

The major characteristic of User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is that it exchanges datagrams without acknowledgments. This means that when data is sent using UDP, it does so in a fast and simple manner by sending packets (or datagrams) to the recipient without establishing a connection first and without waiting for acknowledgments that the packets have been received. This lack of acknowledgment helps reduce latency and makes UDP suitable for applications where speed is critical and occasional data loss is acceptable, such as online gaming, voice over IP (VoIP), and video streaming.

In contrast, the features associated with guaranteed delivery or connection-oriented behavior belong to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), which handles data transmission differently by ensuring that all packets are received and in the correct order. Additionally, while UDP is often used for streaming media, it is not exclusive to that purpose, as it serves various applications where speed and efficiency are prioritized over reliability.