An IP Address (Internet Protocol Address) is a unique identifier assigned to each device connected to a network, allowing it to communicate with other devices over the internet or a local network. IP addresses are of two types: IPv4 (e.g., 192.168.1.1) and IPv6 (e.g., 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334). IPv4 addresses consist of 32 bits, resulting in about 4.3 billion unique addresses, while IPv6 uses 128 bits, providing a vastly larger address space. An IP address is essential for routing data between devices, ensuring that information sent over the network reaches the correct destination.
