What type of transport layer protocol is used when speed is prioritized over reliability?

In scenarios where speed is prioritized over reliability, the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is the preferred choice. UDP operates at the transport layer of the TCP/IP model and is characterized by its connectionless nature, meaning it does not establish a connection before sending data. This lack of overhead allows for faster transmission of packets, making it suitable for applications where low latency is essential, such as online gaming, video streaming, and real-time communications.

UDP also does not provide mechanisms for error checking, retransmission, or ordering of packets, which further reduces latency. This makes it advantageous in situations where the speed of data transmission is crucial and the application can tolerate some data loss or out-of-order packets.

Other protocols like TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) focus on ensuring reliable delivery, which involves connection establishment, error checking, and data reordering, ultimately introducing latency that may not be acceptable in applications requiring high-speed data transfer.