What is a process vs. a thread?

In computing, processes and threads are basic units of execution, but they operate at different levels and have distinct characteristics and purposes. Understanding the difference between them is key to grasping how operating systems manage computational tasks and resources.

### Process:

– Definition: A process is an instance of a computer program that is being executed. It contains the program code and its current activity. Each process has a separate memory address space, which means that a process runs independently and is isolated from other processes. Processes can communicate with each other through inter-process communication mechanisms.

– Characteristics:

– Independent: Every process operates independently and occupies its own memory space.

– Resource Ownership: A process contains a fully independent set of resources (like files and network connections) as allocated by the operating system.

– Execution: Runs an application or a program.

– Communication: Processes typically communicate with each other through well-defined mechanisms such as pipes, files, sockets, or other forms of IPC (Inter-Process Communication).

– Overhead: Creating a new process is resource-intensive, as it requires duplicating the entire parent process, including its memory space, to create a child process.

### Thread:

– Definition: A thread, short for thread of execution, is the smallest sequence of programmed instructions that can be managed independently by a scheduler, which is typically part of the operating system. Threads exist within a process and share the process’s resources, including memory and open files