APPC translates the information back into its original format and passes it to the corresponding partner application.
Unlike TCP/IP, in which both communication partners always possess a clear role (one is always server, and others always the client), APPC is a peer-to-peer protocol.
It was also apparent to the architects of APPC that it could be used to provide operating system services on remote computers.
With the increasing prevalence of TCP/IP, APPC has declined, although many IBM systems have translators, such as Enterprise Extender (RFC 2353), to allow sending APPC-formatted traffic over IP networks.
By contrast, APPN manages communication between machines, including routing, and operates at the transport and network layers.