Have you ever thought of how YouTube provides bufferless streaming services worldwide? We have the answer to your question – YouTube Cubic & UDP protocol.

YouTube uses the TCP protocol together with the Cubic algorithm and Google’s UDP-based QUIC protocol.

In this article, you will learn about the YouTube Cubic and UDP protocol. Find out everything you need to know about these protocols in detail.

YouTube & TCP CUBIC

To understand why YouTube relies heavily on TCP Cubic, it is essential to learn the basic properties of TCP. Learn how the Cubic algorithm improves its performance.

What’s TCP

The Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is a basic standard in the Internet Protocol (IP) suite. It ensures the reliable, orderly, and error-free transfer of data between applications communicating over a network. 

TCP creates a connection between the sender and recipient prior to data transmission. It guarantees that the data arrives intact and in order, making it excellent for applications requiring data integrity and reliability.

What’s CUBIC? 

CUBIC is a TCP congestion control technique that improves data transport over high-bandwidth, high-latency networks. Compared to older congestion control algorithms, CUBIC uses a cubic function to adjust the size of the congestion window.

This allows it to use available bandwidth more aggressively while adapting quickly to changes in network conditions, making CUBIC ideal for streaming high-quality video.

Why YouTube Uses CUBIC TCP

Even though both protocols are efficient, YouTube VOD uses CUBIC TCP. Here’s Why:

HTTP/HTTPS is Implemented on TCP

Most of YouTube’s website and application functions are based on HTTP/HTTPS protocols working over TCP connections. Since TCP is the standard communication protocol for data transfer for HTTP/HTTPS, it becomes the default delivery method.

TCP is Reliable & Accurate 

TCP is popular for its data integrity because it delivers data accurately. It guarantees that all packets of information are delivered correctly and without loss. This is especially important for YouTube because this site is crucial to preserving image and video quality.

Lower Traffic & Load

TCP Cubic efficiently manages network traffic. It decreases the possibility of network overload by using a congestion management algorithm that can respond swiftly to changing network circumstances, delivering a smooth streaming quality even during peak usage hours.

Efficient Bandwidth Utilization

TCP Cubic is better at utilizing the available bandwidth by increasing its congestion window more aggressively than earlier algorithms. This optimization has a great tendency to minimize issues that cause under-utilization. As a result, you get high-quality videos on YouTube with less buffering.

Faster Recovery from Losses

The ability of TCP Cubic to rapidly recover from packet losses is essential for preserving smooth video playback. This feature is beneficial in unstable network environments, guaranteeing that small interruptions won’t ruin the watching experience.

YouTube & UDP

As mentioned above, TCP CUBIC is the primary protocol for YouTube’s content delivery. However, in some cases, YouTube relies on Google’s QUIC UDP protocol: It can be more advantageous than TCP due to its simple features. 

What’s UDP

The User Datagram Protocol (UDP) is a connectionless protocol for high-speed data transmission. It uses packets of information, commonly known as datagrams. 

These packets are sent directly to computers without forming a connection. The datagram is sent without considering the order of information or intent of sending it. 

QUIC – Google’s Attempt to Replace UDP 

QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections) is a transport layer network protocol created by Google. It combines TCP and UDP capabilities to increase HTTP traffic throughput. QUIC is built on top of UDP and enables dependable, compressed, and encrypted communications. It outperforms regular TCP, particularly for web applications like YouTube.

Why YouTube Uses QUIC (200 Words Max)

Here is why YouTube uses QUIC for some services: 

Live Streaming

UDP and QUIC are preferred protocols for live broadcasting because of their low latency. WebRTC, SRT, RTP, and RTSP are popular UDP-based protocols for live video and audio streaming, where minimizing delay is critical.

Works with HTTP/3

The newest version of the HTTP protocol, HTTP/3, is built on top of QUIC. When streaming high-quality video material, HTTP/3 performs better than HTTP/2 in a number of ways. It includes faster connection setup times and improved handling of high-latency connections.

Support Multiple Platforms

QUIC can be used on multiple platforms and is integrated into most contemporary browsers and applications. It enables YouTube to provide steady streaming regardless of devices and network conditions without compromising video quality.

Simplified Protocol Design

One significant aspect of QUIC is that it eliminates transport and security layers and integrates them into one. This reduces the complexity of having different layers for transport and security within the application. This streamlining helps to reduce overhead and improve performance.

Stream Multiplexing

On a single connection, QUIC allows for multiple stream demands. It permits several requests and responses to be sent without requiring earlier responses to wait, which is a concern in TCP as head-of-line blocking. This feature is handy when streaming video content, as data packets may need to be supplied simultaneously.

5 Best Proxies for YouTube & Cubic Protocol

Are you aiming to optimize streaming via TCP CUBIC or explore different regions? Here are the top five best proxies for YouTube and Cubic protocol: 

1. SOAX

Soax provides a vast pool of IP addresses, resulting in solid and dependable connections. It is ideal for people who want to get past geo-restrictions and easily access YouTube content.

2. Bright Data

Bright Data is known for its massive proxy network and fast connections. It is ideal for watching high-quality videos without lagging.

3. SmartProxy

SmartProxy offers simple residential proxies for surfing YouTube from many places while retaining high connection speeds.

4. IPRoyal

A low-cost solution that includes a variety of proxies ideal for different streaming requirements, ensuring seamless access to YouTube content.

5. V6Proxies

V6Proxies specializes in IPv6 proxies, which provide exceptional streaming performance. It allows you to avoid YouTube’s regional limitations.

Final Words

The decision to use YouTube Cubic or UDP protocol often depends on the service needed. TCP CUBIC is especially considered reliable and equally efficient in transferring data through available bandwidth.

On the other hand, QUIC UDP increases the efficiency of applications that use features like live streaming and HTTP/3. When employed simultaneously, these protocols ensure that everybody streams seamlessly worldwide