Handshaking

A computer protocol term.

A 'handshake' is when two computers exchange signals in order to set up a communication link.

For example a network protocol might have this 'handshake'

> Computer A signals "I am ready to receive data"
> Computer B receives the signal and sends back "I am ready to send data"
> Computer A receives the signal and sends back "OK, send the data"
> Computer B receives the signal and sends the data

Of course, the "I am ready to receive data" is not a real sentence being sent! it is more likely to be a digital signal on a particular wire within the cable connecting the two computers.

Challenge see if you can find out one extra fact on this topic that we haven't already told you

Click on this link: Handshaking

2020-10