Unix Socket

Definitions

1. A colloquial shorthand for Unix domain socket — an IPC endpoint identified by a filesystem path rather than an IP address and port. The socket file (e.g., `/tmp/app.sock`) acts as a rendezvous point; the kernel routes data directly between processes without network protocol overhead. Commonly used for Docker, database, and web server communication on the same host.

   In plain English: A file-based communication channel that lets programs on the same machine exchange data without using the network.

   Example: "Connect to Postgres via the Unix socket at `/var/run/postgresql/.s.PGSQL.5432` instead of TCP — it skips the TCP handshake and is measurably faster for local connections."

Related Terms

• SIGKILL
• Pipe
• Marshalling
• Named Pipe
• Platform Channel
• POSIX
• Shared Memory
• Unix Domain Socket
• XPC