Direct Memory Access
Direct Memory Access (DMA) is a hardware feature that allows peripheral devices to transfer data directly to and from system memory without involving the central processing unit (CPU) for each byte. This offloads data transfer tasks from the CPU, enabling it to perform other computations while data moves in the background. DMA is commonly used in systems requiring high-speed data transfers, such as disk drives, network cards, and audio/video interfaces.
Developers should learn about DMA when working on performance-critical applications, embedded systems, or device drivers where efficient data handling is essential. It reduces CPU overhead and latency, making it ideal for real-time processing, high-throughput I/O operations, and multimedia streaming. Understanding DMA is crucial for optimizing system performance in scenarios like data acquisition, gaming consoles, or network packet processing.