WhatsApp is a free messaging and voice over IP (VoIP) service owned by Facebook. It was created in 2009 and launched in 2010. WhatsApp is used by millions of people around the world to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues.
WhatsApp uses a combination of the Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) and the proprietary Binary Floor Control Protocol (BFCP) to enable communications over the internet. The XMPP protocol is an open standard used for real-time communication, while BFCP enables video and audio streaming.
XMPP is a widely used protocol that allows for instant messaging, presence sharing, and multimedia streaming. It’s an open protocol that can be used for any type of internet-based communication, such as voice calls, video calls, file sharing, gaming, etc.
The XMPP protocol is built on top of TCP/IP which makes it reliable and secure. It also allows users to add extra features to their conversations such as encryption, read receipts, etc.
BFCP is a proprietary protocol developed by WhatsApp that enables video and audio streaming over the internet. It uses UDP instead of TCP/IP which makes it faster than other protocols but less reliable when there are packet losses or delays in the connection. BFCP also supports multiple simultaneous streams which makes it ideal for group chats or conference calls with multiple participants.
In conclusion: WhatsApp uses both XMPP and BFCP protocols to enable communication over the internet. XMPP provides reliable communication services such as instant messaging, presence sharing, and multimedia streaming while BFCP enables faster video and audio streaming with support for multiple simultaneous streams. Both protocols work together to provide a secure and efficient way for users to stay connected with each other on WhatsApp.