What is the difference between a process and a thread in computer science?

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Answered by suresh

Understanding the Difference Between a Process and a Thread in Computer Science

In computer science, the distinction between a process and a thread is fundamental to understanding how a system manages and executes tasks. The focus keyword is process and thread difference.

Process:

  • A process is an independent entity within a computer system that is allocated resources and can execute tasks.
  • Each process has its memory space, file system, and resources allocated, making them isolated from other processes.
  • Processes communicate with each other through inter-process communication mechanisms.
  • Processes incur more overhead in terms of memory and CPU resources due to their isolated nature.

Thread:

  • A thread is a subset of a process and shares the same resources and memory space with other threads within the same process.
  • Threads are lightweight and can be created and managed more efficiently compared to processes.
  • Threads within a process can communicate directly with each other using shared memory.
  • Threads are suitable for concurrent execution and can improve performance by utilizing multiple cores in a CPU.

In summary, the key difference between a process and a thread lies in their nature of resource allocation, memory handling, and communication mechanisms. Understanding when to use processes or threads is crucial for designing efficient and scalable computer systems.

Answer for Question: What is the difference between a process and a thread in computer science?