Using Inter-Process Communication in Shell Scripts

This tutorial explores various methods of inter-process communication (IPC) in shell scripts, enabling communication between processes for enhanced functionality and automation.

1. Pipes

Pipes allow communication between two or more processes by connecting standard output (stdout) of one process to standard input (stdin) of another.

Example:

To count lines in a file using a pipe:

cat file.txt | wc -l

2. Named Pipes (FIFOs)

Named pipes provide a way for processes to communicate with each other without being directly related through standard input and output.

Example:

Create a named pipe:

mkfifo mypipe

Read from a named pipe:

cat mypipe

Write to a named pipe:

echo "Hello" > mypipe

3. Signals

Signals can be used to notify processes of events or to trigger specific actions, facilitating communication between processes.

Example:

Send a signal to a process:

kill -TERM pid

4. Files

Processes can communicate by reading from and writing to files, enabling data sharing and synchronization between processes.

5. Conclusion

Inter-process communication in shell scripts offers powerful mechanisms for coordinating and enhancing automation tasks, leveraging various methods to exchange data and signals effectively.