Pipe and Fifo both are IPC (Inter Process Communication) object.
Pipe (IPC Object)
- Pipe does not have any name unlike Fifo.
- Pipe is a structure of data which is contained into the memory. It is removed when existing process terminates.
- Basically, Pipe is used to communicate between 2 or more related processes.
- If Pipe is already in opened state, then it does not need to be opened.
- Pipe provides simplex data flow
- eg: pipe(int fd[2])
Fifo (IPC Object)
- Fifo is also an IPC object, but it has its name.
- Unlike Pipe, it is a structure of file which is created in disc.
- It is also used for communication but only between unrelated processes.
- It should be opened every time when it needs to write and read.
- Fifo provides half duplex data flow.
- eg: mkfifo(const char * path_name, mode_t mode)
