Labels are used in MPLS forwarding.

MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) uses labels to forward packets efficiently along predefined paths called Label Switched Paths (LSPs). These labels are assigned dynamically using protocols likeLabel Distribution Protocol (LDP)or RSVP-TE (Resource Reservation Protocol - Traffic Engineering).While static routing and manual configuration can define paths, they do not involve dynamic label assignment.Similarly, direct routes are not related to MPLS label distribution. LDP is specifically designed to exchange label information between routers, enabling MPLS forwarding.