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Shared memory

Computer memory that can be accessed by multiple processes / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In computer science, shared memory is memory that may be simultaneously accessed by multiple programs with an intent to provide communication among them or avoid redundant copies. Shared memory is an efficient means of passing data between programs. Depending on context, programs may run on a single processor or on multiple separate processors.

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An illustration of a shared memory system of three processors.

Using memory for communication inside a single program, e.g. among its multiple threads, is also referred to as shared memory.