This topic describes a typical stream socket session.

Use stream sockets for both passive (server) and active (client) processes. While some calls are necessary for both types, others are role specific. See Sample C socket programs for sample socket communication client and server programs. All connections exist until closed by the socket. During the connection, data is delivered, or an error code is returned by TCP/IP.

Figure 1 shows the general sequence of calls for most socket routines using stream sockets.

Figure 1. A typical stream socket session