IPv4 and IPv6 are different versions of the Internet Protocol. IPv4 uses 32-bit addresses which limits the available number of addresses to around 4 billion, while IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses allowing for a vast number of available addresses. Some techniques were used to extend IPv4 such as subnetting and NAT, but IPv6 was developed to provide a long-term solution and overcome IPv4's scaling limitations. IPv6 improves upon IPv4 in areas such as efficiency, security, auto-configuration, and header structure. Widespread adoption of IPv6 has been slowed due to compatibility issues and costs of upgrading systems.