Difference Between Pipes and Message Queues
Last Updated :
04 Sep, 2024
When there is a need to design software with a potential for Inter-process Communication (IPC), it becomes very important to select the appropriate strategy. Pipes and Message Queues are basically two of the most typical IPC approaches in a system through which processes can communicate. Although they are clearly related in that they are used for inter-process communication, they can be distinguished from one another on the basis of how they work, what they can do, and where they can be used.
This information is crucial to the developers in deciding how the different processes of a system that involves process communication will work. The following article will discuss the main differences between Pipes and Message Queues to determine which one is optimal for you.
What is a Pipe?
A Pipe is a form of inter-process communication that allows data to flow in a unidirectional or bidirectional manner between processes. It is a simple and efficient way to enable communication between parent and child processes in a system.
Syntax:
#include int pipe(int fd);
A pipe ()function returns two file descriptors, fd[O] and fd[1]. The fd[0] is open for reading from and fd[1] is open for writing to the pipe. The data flows from one end of the pipe to the other end. The pipe function returns '0' on success or -1 on error.
Advantages of Pipes
- Simplicity: Pipes are easy to implement and use, making them a preferred choice for basic communication needs.
- Performance: For interprocess communication they are used where both processes are running on the same computer they provide high performance.
- Real-time Data Flow: Work related to real time communication is more facilitated by pipes, since they produce streaming data.
Disadvantages of Pipes
- Limited Scope: Communicates are usually messages through pipes used in the communication between relative process, therefore, it is not frequently used in more extended systems.
- Blocking: Processes can be unblocked by pipes if the buffer slows down the functioning of processes.
- No Data Persistence: Data in pipes is unformatted, couple that with the fact that data in pipes is not retained if not consumed immediately.
What is a Message Queue?
A Message Queues, allow one or more processes to write message to be read by other processes. A message queue is implemented as a linked list of messages, and is stored within the Kernel. Each message queue is identified by a message queue identifier. The Kernel keeps track of all the message queues created in a system.
Advantages of Message Queues
- Asynchronous Communication: Message queues allow for non-synchronous exchange of messages and thus, processes can send or receive messages without having to wait.
- Persistence: Messages can be retained in the queue a waiting line for the receiver to be ready to receive them so as not to lost any data.
- Flexibility: Message queues help to pass information between two unrelated processes thus can be used to facilitate communication needs in complex systems.
Disadvantages of Message Queues
- Complexity: The use of message queues in the operating system can sometimes be slightly more complicated compared to pipes in terms of working, and generally consumes a little more resources in terms of program design.
- Overhead: It is crucial to observe that employing message queues increases practical complexity, which implies that the performance of a system can be negatively affected, in part due to overheads.
- Latency: This may lead to delays in passing information quite a bit due to the queuing and the retrieval process.
Difference between Pipes and Message Queues:
| Pipes | Message Queues |
|---|
| Pipe is a form of Unix IPC that provides flow of data in one direction. | Message queues is a form of system VIPC that store a linked list of messages |
| Creating a pipe using pipe() function, returns two file descriptors, one for reading another for writing. | Creating a message queues using msgget() function returns a message queue identifier. |
| Pipes and FIFOs are unidirectional, i.e., the data can flow in one direction only. | Message queues are bidirectional i.e., the data can flow in both directions. |
| With Pipes and FIFOs, the data must be fetched in first in first out order. | With message queues the messages can be read in any order that is consistent with the values associ ated with the message types. |
| Priorities can't be assigned to the messages. | Priorities can assigned to the messages by associ ating a priority to a type or range of types. |
| With Pipes and FIFOs, there must be some process waiting for a message to be written over the pipes and FIFOs i.e., both a reader process and a writer must exist. | With message queues a process can write the messages to a queue then exit, so that the messages can be read by another process at a later time. |
| Pipes are completely deleted from the system, when the last process having reference to it terminates. | Message queue and its contents remain in the system on process termination until they are specifically read or deleted by some process calling mcgregor magento, by executing the ipcrm(1) command or by rebooting the system. |
| The maximum number of bytes that can be written to a pipe of FIFO is 4096 bytes. | The maximum message size that can be written to a message queue is 8192 bytes. |
| A major advantage of using named pipes is that they provide a useful way to send one-line requests to an OpenEdge background session running a message handler procedure | better Performance. Message queues enable asynchronous communication, which means that the endpoints that are producing and consuming messages interact with the queue, not each other. |
| Multiple users can send requests through the same named pipe and each request is removed from the pipe as it is received. | Increased Reliability. |
Conclusion
This means that both Pipes and Message Queues are good IPC solutions but they are used under different circumstances. Pipes are suitable for loosely coupled, real time communication between related processes while Message Queues offer more control and reliability in loosely coupled, asynchronous communication of unrelated processes. Their usage should be determined by your system’s needs, for instance, need of constant data flow in real time, persistence, and independence of the process.
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