HDLC (High-Level Data Link Control) is a set of protocols developed by ISO for transmitting data between network nodes, operating at layer 2 (data link) wherein data is organized in frames. The HDLC protocol manages synchronized transmission, supports various station configurations (unbalanced and balanced), and includes different response modes for data transfer. It employs different frame types (information, supervisory, and unnumbered) for communication, with specific fields for addressing, information content, and error detection.