What’s a buffer in computer science?

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A computer buffer is an area of ​​memory used for temporary data storage when a program or hardware device needs an uninterrupted flow of information. Buffers are typically created in random access memory (RAM) rather than on the hard drive, because retrieving data from RAM is faster than retrieving from the platter technology used in conventional hard drives. Some hardware devices have their own built-in RAM, such as printers.

Printers designed for small workloads generally have smaller buffers, while workhorse models have larger amounts of RAM. When you click a button to print a job, your computer sends data to the printer’s RAM, freeing up system RAM to handle other tasks. This allows print jobs to run in the background, called spooling. A printer buffer prints jobs on a first-come, first-served basis, which can maintain a signal, especially important in a networked environment.

Another example of this is streaming media content online. Without the use of a buffer, the user would either have to wait for the entire file to load onto the local machine before playing it, or wait for playback with gaps and skips created by millisecond (or longer) delays in the data stream.

Here’s how it works: Files, data, music and video are all transported across the Internet in small, discrete data packets. These packets arrive independently and must be recombined and reordered to recreate the original data stream without interruption. If a data packet is missing, video playback “jumps” to the next packet in line. To avoid this, a few seconds of the stream are buffered, then when playback starts, it just stays in front of the display, “preparing the way” for smooth navigation.

Some people might think it’s a good idea to configure this memory area to be very large to ensure smooth playback. The problem is that the larger the buffer, the less system RAM is available for other tasks. For graphics cards that share memory with system RAM, creating too much temporary storage space can actually degrade playback, as the graphics card may run out of memory needed to display streaming content. This can cause playback to appear as if it is being viewed through heat waves, become jittery, and intermittently pause or freeze.

Since the optimal buffer size is primarily determined by your connection speed and system RAM, playback problems can often be improved or completely corrected by adjusting this memory area to be slightly smaller or slightly larger. The fix that will serve you best also depends on the reliability and speed of the streaming content source. A smaller buffer can work quite well with a fast source, offering faster playback and additional RAM for graphics rendering. A slower source may require a slightly larger one, all other things being equal. Users may need to experiment to find the right size.
Adding RAM to a system that shares memory with the graphics card (called integrated graphics) can also improve media streaming by allowing for a larger buffer without compromising playback quality. Adding system RAM can also help if your graphics card only has a nominal amount of onboard RAM.

Users can usually change the buffer size for media content through the software they use to listen to or watch streaming materials. Typically, a slider control allows the user to increase or decrease the amount of reserved memory.
Word processors, spreadsheet programs, and nearly all productivity packages use buffers to track changes within a document or project so that reverting (the “undo” command) is possible. This memory also takes care of saving temporary copies of the material in progress so that, in the event of a crash or blackout, the document can be recovered even when it has not been officially saved.

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