Keyboard buffer

The keyboard buffer is a memory (buffer) for keystrokes that come from the keyboard of a computer . Characters entered on a keyboard are initially stored in the keyboard buffer until they can be processed further by the operating system . This caching allows the input of characters (typed quickly or numerous) without them being lost, even when the system is busy and cannot process them temporarily. The order of the characters is retained ( First In - First Out ).

With PC systems, a hardware interrupt is generated each time a key is pressed or released . When normal program execution is interrupted, keyboard activity is registered, the data is read and stored in the keyboard buffer. The interruption will then be canceled immediately. The keyboard buffer is organized as a ring buffer , which can usually accommodate a sufficient but limited number of keystrokes . If it is exceptionally full, further entries are discarded (usually also signaled acoustically) until it can be received again. With the successive processing of the entries by the operating system and application software , the keyboard buffer is emptied accordingly.