Disclosed are a data edge protocol-based communication method and apparatus. The method may be performed through the following steps: A first communication apparatus sends a data edge protocol DEP session establishment request message to a second communication apparatus, where the DEP session establishment request me ssage is used to request to establish a DEP session between the first communication apparatus and a computing power, the DEP session is used to transmit data of a first application, the first communication apparatus, the second communication apparatus, and the computing power all have a function of a DEP layer, the DEP layer is located below a third layer of a wireless network protocol layer, and the DEP session is located at the DEP layer. The first communication apparatus receives configuration information of the DEP session from the second communication apparatus. In this method, direct data transmission between the terminal device and the first application on the computing power can be implemented by using the DEP session, thereby reducing a path for data exchange between the terminal device and the application. Therefore, compared with an existing edge computing technology, this method can further reduce a delay variation, and implement a same service while reducing network resource overheads.