A Stateless Protocol is a communication protocol in which each request from a client to a server is treated independently, with no knowledge of previous requests. Stateless protocols do not store session information between requests, meaning the server processes each request as a separate, isolated interaction. HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is one of the most well-known stateless protocols, widely used in web applications.

Key characteristics of stateless protocols include:

Independent Requests: Each client request includes all the necessary information for the server to process it, reducing the need for the server to retain any session data.
Scalability: Stateless protocols are highly scalable because each request is processed independently, allowing servers to handle large numbers of requests efficiently without session management overhead.
Simplified Design: Without the need to track session state, stateless protocols simplify server architecture and reduce memory and resource usage.
Stateless protocols are ideal for applications that require high scalability and rapid responses, such as RESTful APIs and microservices architectures. While statelessness can limit continuity for users across interactions, it allows for faster, more efficient handling of requests, making it a preferred choice for many web-based systems.