What Is The Protocol Used By The Internet?

A protocol is a way of saying "language", which is similar to the meaning as if discussing a programming language because it calls for syntax in order to operate. A programming language is not a protocol because it communicates within its own coding structure to make instructions to one processor. A protocol is the interactive equivalent because it is the way of communicating between processors. In this case, there are several protocols that apply to the internet depending upon the type of processor being called upon. For the calling up of web pages in our browsers we use a protocol called "hyper text transmission protocol" which is the "http" at the start of the addressing string. This tells the receiving processor that it is being called to serve up a web page. Another protocol being used on the internet is called "file transfer protocol" shown as "ftp", which tells the processor to call up the directory tree of files resident on a server.  There is no actual coding of a protocol other than the addressing. Inside the processes being used, the directing programs are written by languages, but you would find that protocols are often referred to as being languages because they each involve their own levels of communicating a desired result.