# Data buffer - Wikipedia ![rw-book-cover](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article4.6bc1851654a0.png) ## Metadata - Author: [[wikipedia.org]] - Full Title: Data buffer - Wikipedia - Category: #articles - Summary: A data buffer is a temporary storage area in memory used to hold data while it is being transferred between devices or processes. Buffers help manage differences in data processing speeds, allowing for smoother operations in tasks like printing or video streaming. They can be implemented in hardware or software, with most buffers using RAM for faster access. - URL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_buffer ## Highlights - In [computer science](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science), a **data buffer** (or just **buffer**) is a region of memory used to store [data](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data) temporarily while it is being moved from one place to another. Typically, the data is stored in a buffer as it is retrieved from an [input device](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Input_device) (such as a microphone) or just before it is sent to an output device (such as speakers); however, a buffer may be used when data is moved between [processes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Process_(computing)) within a computer, comparable to buffers in telecommunication. ([View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01jmthmt62rh6tw8e8g5bjwrha))