sysvipc - System V interprocess communication mechanisms
System V IPC is the name given to three interprocess communication mechanisms
that are widely available on UNIX systems: message queues, semaphore, and
shared memory.
System V message queues allow data to be exchanged in units called messages.
Each messages can have an associated priority, POSIX message queues provide an
alternative API for achieving the same result; see
mq_overview(7).
The System V message queue API consists of the following system calls:
- msgget(2)
- Create a new message queue or obtain the ID of an existing message queue.
This call returns an identifier that is used in the remaining APIs.
- msgsnd(2)
- Add a message to a queue.
- msgrcv(2)
- Remove a message from a queue.
- msgctl(2)
- Perform various control operations on a queue, including deletion.
System V semaphores allow processes to synchronize their actions System V
semaphores are allocated in groups called sets; each semaphore in a set is a
counting semaphore. POSIX semaphores provide an alternative API for achieving
the same result; see
sem_overview(7).
The System V semaphore API consists of the following system calls:
- semget(2)
- Create a new set or obtain the ID of an existing set. This call returns an
identifier that is used in the remaining APIs.
- semop(2)
- Perform operations on the semaphores in a set.
- semctl(2)
- Perform various control operations on a set, including deletion.
System V shared memory allows processes to share a region a memory (a
"segment"). POSIX shared memory is an alternative API for achieving
the same result; see
shm_overview(7).
The System V shared memory API consists of the following system calls:
- shmget(2)
- Create a new segment or obtain the ID of an existing segment. This call
returns an identifier that is used in the remaining APIs.
- shmat(2)
- Attach an existing shared memory object into the calling process's address
space.
- shmdt(2)
- Detach a segment from the calling process's address space.
- shmctl(2)
- Perform various control operations on a segment, including deletion.
For a discussion of the interaction of System V IPC objects and IPC namespaces,
see
ipc_namespaces(7).
ipcmk(1),
ipcrm(1),
ipcs(1),
lsipc(1),
ipc(2),
msgctl(2),
msgget(2),
msgrcv(2),
msgsnd(2),
semctl(2),
semget(2),
semop(2),
shmat(2),
shmctl(2),
shmdt(2),
shmget(2),
ftok(3),
ipc_namespaces(7)