What is the primary purpose of inter-process communication (IPC) in operating systems?
a) To allow processes to communicate with each other
b) To provide hardware interrupts to the CPU
c) To allocate memory to multiple processes
d) To provide access control to system resources
Answer:
a) To allow processes to communicate with each other
Explanation:
Inter-process communication (IPC) is a mechanism that enables processes to communicate and synchronize with each other. This is essential for coordinating the execution of multiple processes in modern operating systems, especially when tasks need to be shared or data needs to be exchanged.
IPC can be implemented in various ways, including message passing, shared memory, pipes, and semaphores. Each method provides different ways for processes to transfer data and coordinate execution without interfering with each other’s memory space.
IPC is crucial in multi-process systems, as it allows independent processes to collaborate effectively, ensuring that tasks are completed efficiently and system resources are used optimally.