Message switching is a method of data transmission where messages are sent in their entirety from the sender to the receiver. Instead of establishing a dedicated path like in circuit switching, the entire message is stored at intermediate nodes before being forwarded to the next destination. This allows for efficient use of network resources, as the nodes can manage multiple messages simultaneously. In message switching, each message is treated as a separate entity, which can lead to delays as messages are queued at each node. However, this approach is beneficial for handling variable-length messages and can be more resilient to network congestion, making it suitable for applications like email and text messaging.