It is a set of programming interface which allow a programmer to coordinate activities among various program processes which can run concurrently in an operating system. This allows a specific program to handle many user requests at the same time. In this Operating System Tutorial, you will learn:
What is Inter Process Communication? Approaches for Inter-Process Communication Why IPC? Terms Used in IPC What is Like FIFOS and Unlike FIFOS
Approaches for Inter-Process Communication
Here, are few important methods for interprocess communication:
Inter-Process Communication Approaches
Pipes
Pipe is widely used for communication between two related processes. This is a half-duplex method, so the first process communicates with the second process. However, in order to achieve a full-duplex, another pipe is needed.
Message Passing:
It is a mechanism for a process to communicate and synchronize. Using message passing, the process communicates with each other without resorting to shared variables. IPC mechanism provides two operations:
Send (message)- message size fixed or variable Received (message)
Message Queues:
A message queue is a linked list of messages stored within the kernel. It is identified by a message queue identifier. This method offers communication between single or multiple processes with full-duplex capacity.
Direct Communication:
In this type of inter-process communication process, should name each other explicitly. In this method, a link is established between one pair of communicating processes, and between each pair, only one link exists.
Indirect Communication:
Indirect communication establishes like only when processes share a common mailbox each pair of processes sharing several communication links. A link can communicate with many processes. The link may be bi-directional or unidirectional.
Shared Memory:
Shared memory is a memory shared between two or more processes that are established using shared memory between all the processes. This type of memory requires to protected from each other by synchronizing access across all the processes.
FIFO:
Communication between two unrelated processes. It is a full-duplex method, which means that the first process can communicate with the second process, and the opposite can also happen.
Why IPC?
Here, are the reasons for using the interprocess communication protocol for information sharing:
It helps to speedup modularity Computational Privilege separation Convenience Helps operating system to communicate with each other and synchronize their actions.
Terms Used in IPC
The following are a few important terms used in IPC: Semaphores: A semaphore is a signaling mechanism technique. This OS method either allows or disallows access to the resource, which depends on how it is set up. Signals: It is a method to communicate between multiple processes by way of signaling. The source process will send a signal which is recognized by number, and the destination process will handle it. Reading Suggestion:- What is Semaphore? Binary, Counting Types with Example
What is Like FIFOS and Unlike FIFOS
Summary:
Definition: Inter-process communication is used for exchanging data between multiple threads in one or more processes or programs. Pipe is widely used for communication between two related processes. Message passing is a mechanism for a process to communicate and synchronize. A message queue is a linked list of messages stored within the kernel Direct process is a type of inter-process communication process, should name each other explicitly. Indirect communication establishes like only when processes share a common mailbox each pair of processes sharing several communication links. Shared memory is a memory shared between two or more processes that are established using shared memory between all the processes. Inter Process Communication method helps to speedup modularity. A semaphore is a signaling mechanism technique. Signaling is a method to communicate between multiple processes by way of signaling. Like FIFO follows FIFO method whereas Unlike FIFO use method to pull specific urgent messages before they reach the front.
