Interrupt-Driven I/O
Interrupt-driven I/O is a computer architecture and operating system concept where peripheral devices signal the CPU to handle I/O operations asynchronously, rather than the CPU continuously polling for status. This allows the CPU to perform other tasks while waiting for I/O events, improving overall system efficiency and responsiveness. It is a fundamental mechanism in modern computing for managing hardware interactions without wasting CPU cycles.
Developers should learn interrupt-driven I/O when working on low-level systems programming, embedded systems, or operating system development, as it is essential for optimizing performance in real-time applications and resource-constrained environments. It is used in scenarios like handling keyboard inputs, network packet arrivals, or disk read/write completions, where immediate response to external events is critical without blocking the CPU.