Interprocess Communication (IPC) refers to the mechanisms provided by an operating system that allow processes to communicate with each other and synchronize their actions. Since processes run in separate memory spaces, they cannot directly access one another’s data. IPC enables safe and efficient data exchange and coordination between processes, which is essential for multitasking and modern computing systems.
IPC is mainly required in systems where processes need to share information, cooperate to complete a task, or maintain consistency. Examples include client–server systems, web browsers with multiple processes, and operating systems running background services.
There are two fundamental models of IPC: shared memory and message passing. In the shared memory model, a region of memory is shared among multiple processes. Processes can read from and write to this shared area to exchange data. This method is fast because it avoids kernel involvement after setup, but it requires proper synchronization techniques such as mutexes or semaphores to prevent race conditions.
In the message passing model, processes communicate by sending and receiving messages through the operating system. This can be done using mechanisms like pipes, message queues, sockets, and signals. Message passing is easier to implement and safer, as the OS manages communication, but it can be slower due to system call overhead.
IPC also plays a critical role in synchronization, ensuring that processes execute in the correct order and do not interfere with each other. Synchronization primitives like semaphores, monitors, and condition variables are often used alongside IPC mechanisms.
In conclusion, interprocess communication is a vital concept in operating systems that enables cooperation, data sharing, and synchronization among processes. Efficient IPC mechanisms improve system performance, reliability, and scalability, making them fundamental to modern OS design.