An IP address is an abbreviation for Internet Protocol Address. It is a unique numerical identifier that is assigned to each network node (device) connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.
The main function of an IP address is to provide addressing and locating of devices on the network, thus allowing data to be transferred between them. Without a unique IP address, information (data) cannot be correctly routed from source to destination.
IP addresses are necessary for the functioning of the entire Internet and exist in two main standards: IPv4, which uses 32-bit numbers, and the newer IPv6, which uses 128-bit numbers to provide a significantly larger number of unique addresses.