What STP state follows the listening state?

The Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is designed to prevent loops in network topologies by managing the state of ports on network switches. After a port enters the listening state, it is preparing to forward traffic by moving into the learning state.

In the listening state, the port is aware of bridge protocol data units (BPDUs) and is checking for any changes in the network topology. The main goal during this state is to build the STP topology without forwarding frames, allowing the port to listen to BPDUs from other switches.

Once the port has determined that it is safe to proceed after the listening state, it transitions into the learning state. In this state, the switch begins to learn the MAC addresses of the devices connected to its ports, storing this information in its MAC address table. However, it still does not forward any frames; its role remains focused on understanding the network while ensuring that there are no loops during this transitional process.

Only after it has fully learned the MAC addresses and has had enough time to ensure the network topology is stable, will the port then transition to the forwarding state, where it can start passing traffic.

This understanding of STP state progression emphasizes the critical role of the learning state as the next