Inter-process communication

In computing, Inter-process communication (IPC) is a set of methods for the exchange of data among multiple threads in one or more processes. Processes may be running on one or more computers connected by a network. IPC methods are divided into methods for message passing, synchronization, shared memory, and remote procedure calls (RPC). The method of IPC used may vary based on the bandwidth and latency of communication between the threads, and the type of data being communicated. There are several reasons for providing an environment that allows process cooperation:

Information sharing Speedup Modularity Convenience Privilege separation

IPC may also be referred to as inter-thread communication and interapplication communication. The combination of IPC with the address space concept is the foundation for address space independence/isolation

MECHANISMS:

*****Creating pipelines programmatically

Pipelines can be created under program control. The Unix pipe() system call asks the operating system to construct a new anonymous pipe object. This results in two new, opened file descriptors in the process: the read-only end of the pipe, and the write-only end. The pipe ends appear to be normal, anonymous file descriptors, except that they have no ability to seek.

In software engineering, a pipeline consists of a chain of processing elements (processes, threads, coroutines, etc..), arranged so that the output of each element is the input of the next. Usually some amount of buffering is provided between consecutive elements. The information that flows in these pipelines is often a stream of records, bytes or bits. The concept is also called the pipes and filters design pattern. It was named by analogy to a physical pipeline.

Main IPC methods

Method Provided by (operating systems or other environments)

File

Most operating systems

Signal

Most operating systems; some systems, such as Windows, implement signals in only the C run-time library and provide no support for their use as an IPC method[citation needed]

Socket

Most operating systems

Message queue

Most operating systems

Pipe

All POSIX systems, Windows

Named pipe All POSIX systems, Windows

Semaphore

All POSIX systems, Windows

Shared memory

All POSIX systems, Windows

Message passing (shared nothing)

Used in MPI paradigm, Java RMI, CORBA, MSMQ, MailSlots, others

Memorymapped file

All POSIX systems, Windows; this method may carry race condition risk if a temporary file is used[citation needed]

Shared memory In computing, shared memory is memory that may be simultaneously accessed by multiple programs with an intent to provide communication among them or avoid redundant copies. Shared memory is an efficient means of passing data between programs. Depending on context, programs may run on a single processor or on multiple separate processors. Using memory for communication inside a single program, for example among its multiple threads, is generally not referred to as shared memory. Message queue Message queues provide an asynchronous communications protocol, meaning that the sender and receiver of the message do not need to interact with the message queue at the same time. Messages placed onto the queue are stored until the recipient retrieves them. Message queues have implicit or

explicit limits on the size of data that may be transmitted in a single message and the number of messages that may remain outstanding on the queue. Many implementations of message queues function internally: within an operating system or within an application. Such queues exist for the purposes of that system only.[1][2] [3] Other implementations allow the passing of messages between different computer systems, potentially connecting multiple applications and multiple operating systems.[4] These message queueing systems typically provide enhanced resilience functionality to ensure that messages do not get "lost" in the event of a system failure.