What are the benefits of message passing?

What are the benefits of message passing in programming?

Message passing allows for better modularity and separation of concerns in software design. It enables different components to communicate without needing to know the details of each other's implementation.

Can you explain how it improves scalability?

Certainly! Message passing facilitates distributed systems where components can run on different machines. This allows for horizontal scaling, as you can add more machines to handle increased load without changing the core logic.

Are there any downsides to using message passing?

Yes, while message passing offers many benefits, it can introduce complexity in terms of managing message queues and ensuring message delivery. Additionally, it may lead to latency issues if not implemented properly.

How does it compare to shared memory?

Message passing is generally safer than shared memory because it avoids issues like race conditions. However, shared memory can be faster for certain applications since it allows direct access to data.