What Is a Message Queue?
A message queue is a buffer that stores messages between producers and consumers. Producers send data to the queue, and consumers read from it. The queue decouples the two sides so they don't need to know about each other. This is a core pattern in distributed systems.
Think of it like a restaurant ordering system. You (the producer) write your order on a ticket and put it on a spindle. The kitchen (the consumer) picks tickets off the spindle when they're ready. You don't shout at the chef, and the chef doesn't wait for you. The spindle is the queue.
Why Use a Message Queue?
Three big reasons:
