What does IP address stand for?

IP address stands for Internet Protocol address, a numerical label assigned to a network interface that communicates using the Internet Protocol.

An IP address has two main jobs: identifying a network interface and indicating its location within a network so data can be routed to it. When a device sends an IP packet, the packet header includes source and destination IP addresses, allowing networks to move the packet toward its recipient.

The two major versions are IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses, traditionally written as four decimal numbers such as 192.0.2.1. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, written in hexadecimal, and was created to provide a much larger address space as the Internet expanded. Both versions continue to be used.

An IP address is not the same as a domain name. People use memorable names such as example.com, while DNS translates those names into IP addresses. Addresses may be public or private, and they may be assigned statically or dynamically.