How does ipv4 work?

IPv4 (internet Protocol version 4) is a network layer protocol that facilitates communication over a packet-switched network. It uses a 32-bit address scheme, allowing for approximately 4.3 billion unique IP addresses, which are divided into network and host portions. Data is transmitted in packets, each containing the source and destination IP addresses, and routed through various intermediary devices until it reaches its destination. IPv4 also employs techniques like subnetting and NAT (Network Address Translation) to manage address allocation and increase the efficiency of IP address usage.