Pronounced
DEE-mun or
DAY-mun. A
process that runs in the
background and performs a specified operation at predefined times or in response to certain events. The term
daemon is a
UNIX term, though many other
operating systems provide support for daemons, though they're sometimes called other names.
Windows, for example, refers to daemons as
System Agents and
services. Typical daemon processes include print spoolers, e-mail handlers, and other programs that perform administrative tasks for the operating system. The term comes from Greek mythology, where daemons were guardian spirits.
