====== Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Application ======

A networked application in which both communicating parties are seen as equals. For applications, such as [[file sharing]], peer-to-peer networks are //ad-hoc// networks of communicating processes which are created for the purpose of exchanging data. They are distinguished from the traditional [[cient-server_application|client-server architecture]] only in the sense that there is no fixed [[IP address]] which [[client|clients]] go to to request a [[server|service]]. The actual connection and exchange of data will probably still use [[TCP]] and/or [[UDP]] or may even use an [[application protocol]] such as [[FTP]] or [[HTTP]]. Depending on the nature of the peer-to-peer application, either peer may take on the role of client or server. For example a [[peer]] will be a client when requesting data from the network but may become a server later when another peer requests the same data from the network.
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