What does ARP stand for in networking?

ARP stands for Address Resolution Protocol, which is a fundamental networking protocol used to map an Internet Protocol (IP) address to a physical machine address that is recognized in the local area network. When a device wants to communicate with another device on the same network but only knows its IP address, ARP is utilized to find the corresponding MAC (Media Access Control) address.

This process involves the requesting device broadcasting an ARP request packet to the network, asking for the MAC address associated with the known IP address. The device that owns the IP address responds with an ARP reply, providing its MAC address. This resolution is crucial for enabling proper communication between devices on a network.

The other options relate to networking but do not accurately describe ARP's function. The Application Resource Protocol and Anti-Routing Protocol are not standard terms recognized in networking, while the Advanced Routing Protocol suggests a different concept related to managing the routing of data but does not define ARP. Hence, Address Resolution Protocol is the correct and most appropriate answer in the context of networking.