Point-to-point communication encompasses all the methods MPI offers to transmit a message between a pair of processes. MPI features a broad range of point-to-point communication calls; they differ in subtle ways which can affect the performance of your MPI program. This roadmap details and differentiates the various types of point-to-point communication available in MPI-3.0 and discusses when and how to use each method. We will examine blocking as well as nonblocking communication calls and go through some examples using these methods. All exercises and examples are verified to work on Stampede2 and Frontera.

MPI also provides for transmission of messages among groups of processes, which is called collective communication. Collective communication is the subject of a different roadmap.

This is the second of five related roadmaps in the Cornell Virtual Workshop that cover MPI. To see the other roadmaps available, please visit the complete roadmaps list.