What is duplex?

Duplex refers to systems that allow communication in both directions. In telecommunications, it describes the ability for two parties to communicate with each other simultaneously. There are two main types: Full-duplex, where both parties can transmit and receive at the same time (like a phone call), and Half-duplex, where only one party can transmit at a time (like a walkie-talkie). The term is also used more broadly in engineering to describe similar bidirectional communication methods. It improves data throughput and responsiveness.