FIFOs

FIFOs (Named pipes on Windows), unlike ordinary pipes, are:

• Bi-directional (data can flow in a FIFO in either direction,)
• Can connect processes that aren't in a parent-child relationship,
• May keep existing even after the process that created them terminates, and
• Can connect more than just two processes.

On UNIX/Linux, one creates a FIFO using the mkfifo() system call. On Windows, it is created using the CreateNamedPipe() system call.

Moreover, on UNIX/Linux, a FIFO can operate between processes on the same machine only, while Windows supports Named pipes between processes on different machines, too.