What is dma meaning?

DMA stands for Direct Memory Access. It is a technique used in computer architecture where an input/output device can access the main memory of a computer directly without involving the CPU. This technique allows the device to transfer data directly to or from the memory, which significantly improves the data transfer rates between the device and memory. DMA is commonly used in devices like hard drives, CD/DVD drives, network cards, and graphics cards to reduce the load on the CPU and boost the overall performance of the system. DMA controllers ensure that the data transfer between the device and memory works efficiently and smoothly. It is an important feature in modern computer systems and contributes to their fast and effective data processing capabilities.