TCP is a connection-oriented protocol used by several application-layer protocols to ensure data delivery without any loss of information during transition, based on sequence and acknowledgment numbers. TCP ensures fail-proof delivery of packets between nodes. TCP sits in between the network layer and the application layer and uses the IP datagram to transfer data packets between the sender and receiver.
The Three-Way Handshake process takes place before the data transfer happens. A TCP connection is like a two-way communication process where not only the sender is actively involved, but even the receiver sends acknowledgments to make it a reliable form of connection.