Cooked Mode

Definition - What does Cooked Mode mean?

In IT, inputting data in cooked mode means inputting data in a way that includes various types of interrupts and other handlers that help an operating system to interpret incoming data. This contrasts with raw mode where programs get direct streams of input without any processing or changes to help the operating system digest the incoming data.

Techopedia explains Cooked Mode

In general, cooked mode can refer to any system that does any kind of processing or cleaning up of data while it is going into a system. It can also refer to specific procedures, such as the use of a particular driver that does certain types of processing on data.

One aspect of cooked mode is helping the operating system to interpret special characters that are not letters or numbers. In raw mode, without interpretation, various kinds of system errors can result. Raw mode entry can also result in improper interpretation – cooked mode may also help to provide capability for interrupt processes that may not be possible in raw mode.