Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) is defined as an inter-process communication (IPC) protocol used in Microsoft Windows operating systems to enable data sharing and communication between multiple applications. DDE allows applications to exchange data in real-time by establishing a direct connection or link between them.
DDE operates through a client-server architecture, where one application acts as the client requesting data, and the other application serves as the server, providing the requested data. The client application initiates a DDE conversation by sending specific commands or requests to the server application, which responds by sending back the requested data or performing a specific action based on the command.
DDE can facilitate the exchange of a wide range of data formats, including text, numbers, images, and even complex structured data. The data exchanged between applications can be either one-way or two-way, depending on the requirements. DDE allows for real-time data updates, making it useful for applications that require continuous data synchronization or live data monitoring.
Although DDE has been widely used in the past, it has been gradually replaced by more modern and secure communication protocols, such as OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) and COM (Component Object Model). Nonetheless, DDE is still supported in many legacy applications and can be utilized for specific tasks that require real-time data exchange between applications.
