Computer Science Interview Question: Difference between a Process and a Thread

Processes and threads are fundamental concepts in multitasking and parallel processing in operating systems. Here's the key difference between a process and a thread:

Process:

A process is an independent instance of a running program. It has its own memory space, resources, and state. Processes are managed by the operating system and can run concurrently with other processes.

Thread:

A thread is a lightweight process within a process. Threads share the same memory space and resources as the process they belong to. Multiple threads can exist within a single process, allowing for concurrent execution within that process.

Differences:

• Processes are independent and isolated, while threads share resources within a process.
• Processes have their own memory space, while threads share the same memory space.
• Processes are heavyweight in terms of resource consumption, while threads are lightweight.
• Threads within a process can communicate more easily and efficiently than processes.

Understanding the distinction between processes and threads is crucial for designing efficient and scalable software applications.