Message queue.
also: message queues · work queue · point-to-point queueA buffer between producers and consumers; in a work queue each message goes to exactly one consumer.
the two-minute refresher
- Producers enqueue work; consumers take messages off and process them at their own pace.
- Point-to-point: each message is handled by ONE consumer, so adding consumers adds throughput.
- It decouples services and absorbs bursts: the queue grows instead of the caller timing out.
- Messages are usually removed once acknowledged, unlike a stream where they stay for replay.