Which layer of the TCP/IP model primarily deals with data formatting and presentation?

The Application Layer of the TCP/IP model is responsible for data formatting and presentation. This layer interacts directly with end-user software applications that produce data, ensuring that information is presented in a format that the receiving application can understand. The Application Layer provides services for file transfers, email, and other network software services, handling aspects like character encoding (such as ASCII or UTF-8), data compression, and encryption.

In contrast, the other layers serve different functions: the Network Access Layer manages the physical and logical connection to the network, the Transport Layer ensures reliable transmission of data segments between hosts, and the Internet Layer handles the routing and forwarding of packets across multiple networks. These functionalities focus on transmission and connectivity rather than the formatting and presentation of data, which is the primary responsibility of the Application Layer.