[skywhopper]

Using files and sockets as common abstractions for a variety of underlying mechanisms is one of the most powerful things about UNIX/Linux. Yes, there are tradeoffs, but in return, it means you can interoperate with a tremendous number of utilities and tools (which don't even need to know anything about the underlying mechanism) in unplanned and unexpected ways... for free.

[frou_dh]

Trigger Warning: Memories of reading about Plan 9

[pjmlp]

As long as you happen to understand what goes thru the pipe, which isn't always the case.