Final answer:
The main difference between stateless and stateful protocols is that stateless protocols do not retain session information after each request, while stateful protocols maintain session state throughout a user's interactions. HTTP is an example of a stateless protocol, while FTP is an example of a stateful protocol.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between stateless and stateful protocols lies in their handling of communication sessions. A stateless protocol treats each request as an independent transaction that is unrelated to any previous requests; it doesn't retain session information. This means that the server does not remember past user interactions. An example of a stateless protocol is HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), which is used for web pages.
On the other hand, a stateful protocol maintains session state and remembers past user interactions. It ensures that each request is associated with the correct user session. An example of a stateful protocol is FTP (File Transfer Protocol), which maintains a connection and tracks the user's actions throughout a session.