What is the purpose of the 'ping' command?

The purpose of the 'ping' command is to check connectivity to a host. When you use 'ping', it sends Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) echo request packets to the specified address. If the target host is reachable on the network, it responds with echo reply packets. This process can help diagnose network issues, determine whether a device is online, and measure the round-trip time for messages sent from the originating host to the destination. Essentially, 'ping' is a fundamental tool used in network troubleshooting to ensure that different devices within a network can communicate with each other.