Thread vs Process: Understanding the Key Differences

In programming, threads and processes are essential concepts that software engineers need to grasp. Here's a breakdown of the key differences:

Processes

• Processes are standalone units of execution that have their own memory space.
• Each process runs independently and is isolated from other processes.
• Processes communicate with each other using inter-process communication mechanisms.
• Processes are heavy-weight in terms of resource consumption.

Threads

• Threads are lightweight sub-units of a process that share the same memory space.
• Threads within the same process can share resources like memory and files.
• Threads are faster to create and switch compared to processes.
• Threads are used for concurrent execution within a single process.

Understanding the differences between threads and processes is crucial for designing efficient and scalable software systems.