Socket / Pipe

Description:

A socket is a special file used for inter-process communication. These allow communication between two processes. In addition to sending data, processes can send file descriptors across a Unix domain socket connection using the sendmsg() and recvmsg() system calls.

Unlike named pipes sockets are fully duplex-capable.

Both Socket and Pipe are inter-process communication files. Basically its communication point of two sides.

gvfs-info: here

Old Issues: 592 593

Design Association: Pipe, Physical connection, Cables, Outlet

Note: Due to the similarity Socket and Pipe can share the same mimetype.

Icons as reference:

Numix-Circle Related Icons: Numix Related Icons: Other Individual Icons:

Block Device / Character Device

Description:

Device files are used to apply access rights and to direct operations on the files to the appropriate device drivers.

Unix makes a distinction between character devices and block devices. The distinction is roughly as follows:

character devices provide only a serial stream of input or output;

block devices are randomly accessible;

Both character device and block device are Unix Device File, used to access directly the device.

gvfs-info: here

Old Issues: 590 591

Design Association: Generic Device, Chip (CI), Generic PCI card

Note: Due to the similarity character device and block device can share the same mimetype.