Byte stream
Encyclopedia
In computer science
, a byte stream is a bit stream, in which data bit
s are grouped into units, called byte
s.
In computer networking the term octet stream is sometimes used to refer to the same thing; it emphasizes the use of bytes having the length of 8 bits, known as octets
.
Formally, a byte stream is a certain abstraction
, a communication
channel down which one entity can send a sequence of bytes to the entity on the other end. Such channel is often bidirectional, but sometimes unidirectional. In almost all instances, the channel has the property that it is reliable; i.e. exactly the same bytes emerge, in exactly the same order, at the other end.
Less formally, one can think of it as a conduit
between the two entities; one entity can insert bytes into the conduit, and the other entity then receives them. This conduit can be ephemeral
or persistent
.
and Windows
, access of any file
from a process is an example of a byte stream. In particular each process has three standard streams, that are examples of unidirectional byte streams. A pipe
mechanism is often used to connect them between processes, to enable process-to-process byte streams.
One well-known example of a communication protocol which provides a byte-stream service to its clients is the Transmission Control Protocol
(TCP) of the Internet protocol suite
, which provides a bidirectional byte stream.
The Internet media type
for an arbitrary byte stream is application/octet-stream. Other media types are defined for byte streams in well-known formats.
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, a byte stream is a bit stream, in which data bit
Bit
A bit is the basic unit of information in computing and telecommunications; it is the amount of information stored by a digital device or other physical system that exists in one of two possible distinct states...
s are grouped into units, called byte
Byte
The byte is a unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that most commonly consists of eight bits. Historically, a byte was the number of bits used to encode a single character of text in a computer and for this reason it is the basic addressable element in many computer...
s.
In computer networking the term octet stream is sometimes used to refer to the same thing; it emphasizes the use of bytes having the length of 8 bits, known as octets
Octet (computing)
An octet is a unit of digital information in computing and telecommunications that consists of eight bits. The term is often used when the term byte might be ambiguous, as there is no standard for the size of the byte.-Overview:...
.
Formally, a byte stream is a certain abstraction
Abstraction
Abstraction is a process by which higher concepts are derived from the usage and classification of literal concepts, first principles, or other methods....
, a communication
Communication
Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast...
channel down which one entity can send a sequence of bytes to the entity on the other end. Such channel is often bidirectional, but sometimes unidirectional. In almost all instances, the channel has the property that it is reliable; i.e. exactly the same bytes emerge, in exactly the same order, at the other end.
Less formally, one can think of it as a conduit
Electrical conduit
An electrical conduit is an electrical piping system used for protection and routing of electrical wiring. Electrical conduit may be made of metal, plastic, fiber, or fired clay. Flexible conduit is available for special purposes....
between the two entities; one entity can insert bytes into the conduit, and the other entity then receives them. This conduit can be ephemeral
Ephemeral
Ephemeral things are transitory, existing only briefly. Typically the term is used to describe objects found in nature, although it can describe a wide range of things....
or persistent
Persistence (computer science)
Persistence in computer science refers to the characteristic of state that outlives the process that created it. Without this capability, state would only exist in RAM, and would be lost when this RAM loses power, such as a computer shutdown....
.
Examples
On most operating systems, including Unix-likeUnix-like
A Unix-like operating system is one that behaves in a manner similar to a Unix system, while not necessarily conforming to or being certified to any version of the Single UNIX Specification....
and Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, access of any file
Computer file
A computer file is a block of arbitrary information, or resource for storing information, which is available to a computer program and is usually based on some kind of durable storage. A file is durable in the sense that it remains available for programs to use after the current program has finished...
from a process is an example of a byte stream. In particular each process has three standard streams, that are examples of unidirectional byte streams. A pipe
Pipeline (Unix)
In Unix-like computer operating systems , a pipeline is the original software pipeline: a set of processes chained by their standard streams, so that the output of each process feeds directly as input to the next one. Each connection is implemented by an anonymous pipe...
mechanism is often used to connect them between processes, to enable process-to-process byte streams.
One well-known example of a communication protocol which provides a byte-stream service to its clients is the Transmission Control Protocol
Transmission Control Protocol
The Transmission Control Protocol is one of the core protocols of the Internet Protocol Suite. TCP is one of the two original components of the suite, complementing the Internet Protocol , and therefore the entire suite is commonly referred to as TCP/IP...
(TCP) of the Internet protocol suite
Internet protocol suite
The Internet protocol suite is the set of communications protocols used for the Internet and other similar networks. It is commonly known as TCP/IP from its most important protocols: Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol , which were the first networking protocols defined in this...
, which provides a bidirectional byte stream.
The Internet media type
Internet media type
An Internet media type, originally called a MIME type after MIME and sometimes a Content-type after the name of a header in several protocols whose value is such a type, is a two-part identifier for file formats on the Internet.The identifiers were originally defined in RFC 2046 for use in email...
for an arbitrary byte stream is application/octet-stream. Other media types are defined for byte streams in well-known formats.
See also
- Stream (computing)
- Bit stream
- Flow (computer networking)Flow (computer networking)In packet switching networks, traffic flow, packet flow or network flow is a sequence of packets from a source computer to a destination, which may be another host, a multicast group, or a broadcast domain...
- Reliable byte streamReliable byte streamA reliable byte stream is a common service paradigm in computer networking; it refers to a byte stream in which the bytes which emerge from the communication channel at the recipient are exactly the same, and in exactly the same order, as they were when the sender inserted them into the channel.The...
- Byte orientation
- Byte-oriented protocolByte-oriented protocolByte-oriented framing protocol is similar to bit-oriented protocol except that instead of viewing the frame as a collection of bits, byte-oriented framing views the frame as a collection of bytes. For example UART communication is byte oriented....
- Byte Stream Protocol