/kəˌmjuːnɪˈkeɪʃən/
noun … “Exchange of information between entities.”
Communication in computing refers to the transfer of data or signals between systems, devices, or components to achieve coordinated operation or information sharing. It encompasses both hardware and software mechanisms, protocols, and interfaces that enable reliable, timely, and accurate data exchange. Effective communication is essential for networking, distributed systems, and embedded control applications.
Key characteristics of Communication include:
- Medium: can be wired (e.g., Ethernet, USB) or wireless (e.g., Wi-Fi, radio, Bluetooth).
- Protocol: defines rules for data formatting, synchronization, error detection, and recovery.
- Directionality: simplex, half-duplex, or full-duplex communication.
- Reliability: mechanisms like ECC or acknowledgments ensure data integrity.
- Speed and latency: bandwidth and propagation delay affect performance of communication channels.
Workflow example: Simple message exchange over TCP/IP:
client_socket = socket.connect("server_address", port)
client_socket.send("Hello, Server!")
response = client_socket.receive()
print(response)
client_socket.close()
Here, the client and server exchange data over a network using a communication protocol that guarantees delivery and order.
Conceptually, Communication is like passing a note in class: the sender encodes a message, the medium carries it, and the receiver decodes and interprets it, ideally without errors or delays.
See Radio, Error-Correcting Code, Protocol, Network, Data Transmission.