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In computer programming, a handle is an abstract reference to a resource that is used when application software references blocks of memory or objects that are managed by another system like a database or an operating system.
A resource handle can be an opaque identifier, in which case it is often an integer number , or it can be a pointer that allows access to further information. Common resource handles include file descriptors, network sockets, database connections, process identifiers , and job IDs. PIDs and job IDs are explicitly visible integers; while file descriptors and sockets are represented as integers, they are typically considered opaque. In traditional implementations, file descriptors are indices into a file descriptor table, thence a file table.