Celebrating the brilliant pragmatism of TCP/IP, the wiring of the world
This column celebrates TCP/IP, the fundamental networking protocol that has powered the internet for nearly 40 years. Written by a programmer who helped implement TCP/IP in 1988, it reflects on how this protocol has become the universal infrastructure connecting all devices globally. Despite competing protocols from major technology companies like IBM's SNA and ATM, TCP/IP's pragmatic, open design has ensured its enduring dominance.
TCP/IP's remarkable longevity stems from a brilliant design decision: splitting the protocol into two separate layers, with IP handling basic packet delivery without guarantees and TCP ensuring reliable, ordered delivery. Developed from a 1974 paper by Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn and adopted by ARPANET on 1 January 1983, this two-layer architecture enabled the protocol's great flexibility. The absence of central gatekeeping and rigid design meant TCP/IP could accommodate new alternatives like Homa alongside itself, whilst driving exponential internet growth particularly after HTTP and the Web.
- TCP/IP has been the internet's backbone for nearly 40 years
- Its two-layer design allows flexibility for new alternatives
- Openness defeated proprietary rivals and enabled exponential growth
New here? Start with this
TCP/IP is the fundamental set of rules that allows computers and devices to communicate across the internet. Developed in the mid-1970s by computer scientists Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn, it was adopted for the early internet network ARPANET on 1 January 1983. For nearly forty years, it has remained the hidden infrastructure connecting everything from smartphones to servers.
When TCP/IP was adopted, other competing protocols existed, particularly IBM's SNA and ATM, each backed by major technology companies. However, TCP/IP's open design without central control meant it could adapt and coexist with new technologies rather than be replaced by them. This flexibility and lack of gatekeeping proved crucial to its enduring dominance.
TCP/IP's clever design splits internet communication into two separate layers: one handles basic data delivery, whilst the other ensures reliability and order. This two-layer approach gave the protocol the flexibility to evolve and support innovations like the World Wide Web without complete redesign. The result is an architecture that has accommodated decades of technological change whilst remaining fundamentally sound.