我应该使用TCP套接字还是HTTP发布将文件发送到Android应用中的服务器

Question

我有一个处理10秒音频剪辑的应用程序，想知道使用自定义TCP套接字将处理后的麦克风录制的音频剪辑发送到服务器比使用HTTP更快吗？

Answer 1

I don't think anyone would be able to measure a difference either way.

If you send the file in one request the overhead of http will be quite small. Normally the overhead on http is mostly creating a large number of connections but since you will only be making one you should be in the clear.

Answer 2

It depends heavily on the purpose of your transfer.

If you are transmitting, playing, and discarding the sound, then use UDP transfer.

If you are sending the file as a binary blob file, then both protocols are being used (remember that HTTP is built over TCP/IP)

If you are sending the file directly over a TCP connection, the overhead is marginally smaller then the HTTP header added. (I would suggest around 30~10% increase in binary transfers, from my experience)

Edit:

Like you said it pretty much gets discarded immediately after sending.how will I guarantee the arrival of the file though without TCP. Would I need to implement my own acknowledgements?

You will not guarantee the arrival. That is basically the difference between TCP and UDP. If your purpose is to be "stream-like" behavior, and you are fine with loosing some part of the content, then UDP is great, since a "second" worth of information lost is not relevant to the continuation of a conversation, in a phone, this would be similar to hiccups or sharp noises in the call.

However, if you are required to ensure that every bit and byte must reach its destination, then TCP is necessary.

Finally, regarding to HTTP and TCP, TCP will always be "smaller" than HTTP, but overall their sizes will not be significantly different. Specially if you intend on performing some HTTP funcionality that TCP does not directly implement.