protocol - (computer science) rules determining the format and transmission of datacomputer science, computing - the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures file transfer protocol, FTP - protocol that allows users to copy files between their local system and any system they can reach on the network TCP, transmission control protocol - a protocol developed for the internet to get data from one network device to another; "TCP uses a retransmission strategy to insure that data will not be lost in transmission" |