Which best describes the UDP demultiplexing process?

The key aspect of the UDP demultiplexing process is its reliance on port numbers to differentiate between different applications communicating over the same network host. When a packet arrives at a device using UDP (User Datagram Protocol), the protocol utilizes the destination port number contained within each packet to identify which application should handle the incoming data. This mechanism allows multiple applications to listen for incoming packets on the same host without interference, enabling them to operate simultaneously.

Each application on a host is assigned a unique port number, and this segmentation ensures that data is directed to the correct endpoint. Thus, when packets arrive, the system can accurately route them to the appropriate application based on these port numbers. This process facilitates efficient multi-application communication over IP networks, a fundamental characteristic of UDP.

Understanding how UDP differentiates between various applications through port numbers is essential, as it highlights the protocol's simplicity and speed, which are vital for applications that require low latency and can tolerate some loss of data, such as voice or video streaming.