Data buffer: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 18:53, 4 May 2006

Revision as of 18:54, 4 May 2006

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In [[computing]], a '''buffer''' is a region of [[Memory (computers)|memory]] used to temporarily hold output or input data, comparable to [[buffer (telecommunication)|buffers in telecommunication]]. The data can be output to or input from devices outside the [[computer]] or [[Process (computing)|processes]] within a computer. Buffers can be implemented in either hardware or software, but the vast majority of buffers are implemented in software. Buffers are used when there is a difference between the rate at which data is received and the rate at which it can be processed, or in the case that these rates are variable, for example in a printer [[spooler]].

The difference between buffers and [[cache]]:

Buffers are allocated by various processes to use as input queues, etc. Most of the time, buffers are some processes' output, and they are file buffers. A simplistic explanation of buffers is that they allow processes to temporarily store input in memory until the process can deal with it.