What is IP Address?
A unique numerical label identifying a device on a network, used for routing communications.
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique numerical identifier assigned to every device connected to a network. It serves two purposes: identifying the device (host) and specifying its location in the network hierarchy.
IPv4 vs IPv6
IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses (e.g., 192.168.1.1) providing about 4.3 billion unique addresses — exhausted in 2011. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses (e.g., 2001:db8::1) providing 340 undecillion addresses.
Private vs Public
Private IP addresses (10.x.x.x, 172.16-31.x.x, 192.168.x.x) are used within local networks and not routable on the internet. Your router assigns private IPs and uses NAT to translate them to a single public IP.
Static vs Dynamic
Static IPs are manually assigned and permanent. Dynamic IPs are assigned by DHCP and may change. Servers typically use static IPs; home devices typically use dynamic IPs.