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Difference between SIP and XMPP
SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) and XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol) are both communication protocols used to establish and manage real- time communication sessions between two or more endpoints, such as computers or mobile devices.
SIP is mainly used for establishing and managing multimedia sessions over the internet, such as voice and video conversations. XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol) is a real-time communication protocol used for instant messaging (IM) and the exchange of presence information.
Read this article to find out more about SIP and XMPP and how they are different from each other.
What is SIP?
SIP is mainly used for establishing and managing multimedia sessions over the internet, such as voice and video conversations. It is a signalling protocol that allows two or more endpoints, such as devices and networks, to initiate communication sessions. SIP is used in systems such as voice over IP (VoIP) and unified communications (UC).
SIP operates within a client-server architecture, exchanging SIP messages between endpoints such as user agents (UA) and SIP servers. A user agent is a hardware or software device, such as a phone or a softphone application, that starts or receives a SIP session, whereas a SIP server acts as a mediator for SIP messages, routing them to their destination.
SIP allows for a variety of multimedia sessions, such as voice and video calls, instant messaging, and conference calls. A typical SIP session includes the following phases −
Session Initiation − The SIP client initiates a session request by sending an INVITE message to the SIP server at this phase. The message includes sender and receiver information, media types, and a session description.
Session Acceptance − If the destination endpoint is available and willing to participate in the session, it sends a 200 OK message indicating acceptance.
Session Modification − After the session has been established, the endpoints can use SIP UPDATE messages to change the session parameters, such as adding or removing media streams.
Session Termination − The SIP client terminates the session by sending a BYE message at the end of the session. To validate the termination, the server responds with a 200 OK message.
What is XMPP?
XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol) is a real-time communication protocol used for instant messaging (IM) and the exchange of presence information. The XMPP Standards Foundation defines it as an open and extensible protocol that is extensively used for IM and group chat apps.
XMPP features include instant messaging, presence information, file sharing, group chats, and notifications. It also supports various authentication and encryption technologies to assure communication security, such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Simple Authentication and Security Layer (SASL).
XMPP also supports a number of extensions, including Multi-User Chat (MUC), which provides enlarged group chat features, and Jingle, which provides voice and video communication.
One of XMPP's distinguishing features is its ability to support extensions known as XMPP Extension Protocols (XEPs). XEPs can be used to add new features to XMPP or change existing ones, making it a highly extensible protocol. XEP-0060 for publish-subscribe features and XEP- 0198 for stream management are two popular XEPs.
Difference between SIP and XMPP
The following table highlights the major differences between SIP and XMPP −
Characteristics |
SIP |
XMPP |
|---|---|---|
Message Format |
Text-based |
XML-based |
Transport Protocol |
UDP or TCP |
TCP |
Client-Server Model |
Yes |
Yes |
Federation |
Limited |
Yes |
Extension |
Yes |
Yes |
Full Form |
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) |
Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol (XMPP) |
Application |
Voice and Video over IP communication |
Instant messaging, group chat, file sharing, and IoT |
Security |
Encrypted communication and authentication |
Encrypted communication and authentication (TLS, SASL) |
Conclusion
In conclusion, SIP and XMPP are two independent communication protocols that serve different functions. SIP is generally used for multimedia session management, whereas XMPP is used for instant messaging and the exchange of presence information.
While their functionality may overlap in some cases, it is important to understand their differences when selecting the best protocol for a specific communication application.
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