Unicast vs Broadcast vs Multicast vs Anycast

These are 4 network communication methods you must know.

1 - Unicast

Unique sender and a single receiver.

For example, communication between two people in a party.

Used in protocols such as HTTP, FTP, and SMTP.

2 - Broadcast

Single sender and multiple receivers.

For example, a person at a party stands up on a podium and shouts a message to everyone. However, it doesn’t mean that every receiver gets the message.

Used in Address Resolution Protocol, DHCP, and NTP

3 - Multicast

Sender to a specific group of devices in a network. This is a specialized case of broadcast routing.

For example, a member of the group talks and listens to other members of the group within a party.

Used in IPTV and video conference applications.

4 - Anycast

Sender to a single device or a specific group of devices.

For example, saying thank you to one host out of a group of hosts organizing a party. All other hosts also expected to receive the thank you note.

Used in DNS querying and CDNs.

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