Socket vs Pipe in Unix/Linux - Explained

When it comes to interprocess communication in Unix/Linux, two commonly used mechanisms are sockets and pipes. Here's a breakdown of the differences between the two:

Socket:

A socket is a communication endpoint that allows different processes to communicate with each other, either on the same machine or across a network. Sockets use the client-server model and can be either stream or datagram oriented.

Sockets provide a more flexible and versatile way of communication compared to pipes. They can be used for both network communication and communication between processes on the same machine.

Pipe:

A pipe is a unidirectional communication channel that allows communication between two related processes. Pipes are typically used for communication between two processes that are running on the same machine.

Pipes are simpler to use compared to sockets and are mainly used for communicating between parent and child processes or between processes in a pipeline.

Conclusion:

In summary, sockets are more versatile and can be used for network communication, while pipes are more simple and suitable for communication between related processes on the same machine. The choice between socket and pipe depends on the specific requirements of the communication needs in Unix/Linux systems.

For more information on Unix/Linux communication mechanisms, check out our other articles on the topic!