Definition
A system where components located on networked computers communicate and coordinate actions by passing messages to achieve a common goal.
Detailed Explanation
Distributed computing systems consist of multiple autonomous computational units that communicate and coordinate through message passing. These systems can range from loosely coupled clusters to tightly integrated grids. They typically implement sophisticated algorithms for load balancing, fault tolerance, and consistency management. Distributed systems often use specialized frameworks and protocols to handle inter-process communication, synchronization, and resource allocation.
Use Cases
Large-scale data processing, distributed machine learning, blockchain networks, content delivery networks, peer-to-peer systems