Open In App

Difference Between Buffering and Caching in OS

Last Updated : 13 Sep, 2024
Comments
Improve
Suggest changes
Like Article
Like
Report

Buffering and caching are related to storage and then access of data, but some key difference makes them different. Buffer is a memory space that stores the input data and passes it on to the system where as Caching is storing data in a separate disk. In this article, we will see what both these terms mean, and after that, we will see the differences. 

What is Buffering?

In a computer system when the speed at which data is received and the speed in which data is processed is different, then there we use the buffer. Buffer is a memory space that stores the input data and passes it on to the system according to this speed in this way there is no need to hold the input device until it is processed. simply the data will be stored in a buffer and then used by the system. The buffer can be of any type, hardware or software, but in general software buffers are used widely because of the Faster RAM. The buffer is used when we play a video but the amount of data required to play the video is high in that case buffering occurs or we say that our video is buffering as we know buffering stores data temporarily so that our data is not lost. Let's learn more simply, Suppose you want to download a video on YouTube but there is a network issue on your side and your downloading is buffer in that case the buffering occurs but when the network connection is stable your downloading continues.

Example - In printer spoolers, we can pass many pages to print as input, but the processing/printing is slow. Here buffering is used. 

Advantages of Buffering

  • The disk access of buffering is uniform.
  • It enhances the performance of input and output operations.
  • It reduces the no. of system calls that impact the overall performance of the system.

Disadvantages of Buffering

  • If there is a large buffer size in that case it reduces the performance of the system.
  • They have a Synchronization issue.

What is Caching?

Caching is storing data in a separate disk (very fast-speed disk). The data that is to be used many times results in a waste of time if it is in a hard disk, but storing the data in a cache reduces this time wastage. Caching is nothing but a temporary location where data is stored so that everything runs smoothly. Suppose when we open any website for the first time it takes some time to load the page so now the caching works to store our data. Now, when we open that website in second time it opens quickly without wasting any time.

Example - Cache is used in the system to speed up the access of data frequently used. 

Advantages of Caching

  • It is faster for accessing the data as compared to RAM.
  • It enhances the performance of the application.
  • It reduces the Server load.

Disadvantages of Caching

  • Data is lost when the system is turned off.
  • The cost is high as compared to other memory.

Difference Between Buffering and Caching

BASISBUFFERINGCACHING
Definition Buffering is a process of temporarily holding data in memory or a buffer before writing it to a permanent storage location.Caching is a process of temporarily storing data in memory for quick access or retrieval.
BasicBuffer stores data till it is processedCaching fastens the data access speed of repeatedly used data
StorageBuffer stores original dataCache stores copy of the data.
LocationBuffer is a memory space in ramCache is in processor, and can be also implemented with ram and disk.
TypeBuffer can be hardware as well as software buffer.Cache is a fast disk and hence it is hardware.
PolicyFirst in First outLeast recently used
BehaviorBuffer is in block sizes like 4, 8, 16 so on, i.e, reading a single character will be same as reading the whole blockRead and write is same as the normal storage
UseUsed for input/output process.Used for reading and writing processes from the disk.
Purpose The purpose of buffering is to ensure smooth and continuous data flow between input/output devices and storage devices.The purpose of caching is to improve system performance by reducing the time needed to access data from slower storage devices such as hard disks or network drives.
Typical use Buffering is typically used in situations where data is being transferred between devices or applications with different speeds or data processing rates.Caching is typically used to store frequently accessed data to reduce the time needed to access it.
Occurrence of level Buffering can occur at various levels, such as application buffering, system buffering, or hardware buffering.Caching can occur at different levels, such as client-side caching, server-side caching, or network caching.
Cause Buffering can cause delays and additional memory usage, particularly if the buffer is too small or if the data transfer rate is high.Caching can also cause additional memory usage, particularly if the cache is too large or if the data being cached is not properly managed.

Conclusion

We Successfully learned the difference between buffering and Cache. Both buffering and Caching are the terms we use in operating systems. When we play a video that requires high internet speed so when we play it but our internet is not stable in that case video buffers or we can say that when the speed at which data is received and the speed at which data is processed is different in that case buffering occurs. On the other hand, caching is to store our data so that we access our data quickly.


Next Article
Difference Between Buffering and Caching in OS
author
shirshak
Improve
Article Tags :

Similar Reads

We use cookies to ensure you have the best browsing experience on our website. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood our Cookie Policy & Privacy Policy
Lightbox