Answer
Backpressure is local flow control on streams. Head-pressure is system-wide congestion caused by downstream overload. Mitigate via queues, throttling, and load shedding.
Quick Answer
Backpressure is when a downstream consumer signals upstream to slow down — "stop sending, I'm full." Head-pressure is upstream pressure — a producer slows sending because it knows the consumer is slow (proactive, not reactive). In distributed systems, backpressure is reactive (consumer signals); flow control via window sizes is more like head-pressure (proactive limits).
S
SugharaIQ Editorial Team
Verified Answer
This answer has been peer-reviewed by industry experts holding senior engineering roles to ensure technical accuracy and relevance for modern interview standards.
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Source: SugharaIQ