What's half-duplex & full duplex

In telecommunications, half-duplex and full-duplex are two different modes of communication that describe the direction of data transmission.

1. Half-Duplex: In half-duplex communication, data can be transmitted in both directions, but only one direction at a time. This means that when one party transmits data, the other party can only receive data and vice versa. A common example of half-duplex communication is a walkie-talkie or a CB radio where users must push a button to speak and release it to listen.

2. Full-Duplex: Data can be transmitted in both directions simultaneously in full-duplex communication. This means both parties can transmit and receive data simultaneously, allowing for more efficient communication. Examples of full-duplex communication include telephone conversations and video conferencing.

Full-duplex communication is generally more efficient than half-duplex communication, as it allows for faster and more seamless communication. However, full-duplex communication requires more complex hardware and software and is therefore more expensive to implement. On the other hand, half-duplex communication is simpler and less expensive but can be slower and less efficient due to the need to alternate between transmitting and receiving data.