The ip address full form is internet protocol. The internet protocol address is a numerical identifier that is connected with a certain computer or computer network. When computers are connected to the internet, the IP address allows them to send and receive data.

A device on the internet or a local network is identified by its IP address, which is a unique address. The Internet Protocol (IP) is a collection of rules that regulate the format of data transferred over the internet or a local network.

IP addresses, in essence, are the identifiers that allow data to be transmitted between devices on a network: they contain location information and make devices reachable for communication. The internet requires a method of distinguishing between various computers, routers, and webpages. IP addresses are a crucial aspect of how the internet operates and provide a means of doing so.

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) manages the IP address space globally, while five regional Internet registries (RIRs) are responsible for assigning IP addresses to local Internet registries, such as Internet service providers (ISPs) and other end users, in their designated territories. IANA assigned IPv4 addresses to RIRs in blocks of around 16.8 million addresses each, but the IANA pool has been depleted since 2011. For local assignments in Africa, only one of the RIRs has a supply. Some IPv4 addresses are only available to private networks and are not globally unique.