Difference between Processes and Threads in Multithreading

In multithreading, processes and threads are important concepts that play a crucial role in parallel programming. Here are the key differences between processes and threads:

1. Definition: A process is an independent entity in the operating system that consists of its own address space, memory, and resources. In contrast, a thread is a lightweight process that can be thought of as a subunit of a process and shares the same memory and resources.
2. Synchronization: Processes do not share memory by default and require inter-process communication mechanisms to communicate with each other. Threads, on the other hand, share the same address space and can communicate directly through shared memory.
3. Resource Overhead: Creating a process incurs more resource overhead compared to creating a thread, as each process has its own memory space and resources. Threads share the same memory space and resources, resulting in lower overhead.
4. Concurrency: Processes run independently of each other and are managed by the operating system scheduler. Threads can run concurrently within the same process and can execute tasks in parallel.
5. Use Cases: Processes are suitable for running independent tasks that require isolation, while threads are useful for achieving parallelism within a single process and improving performance.

Understanding the differences between processes and threads is crucial for designing efficient multithreaded applications and optimizing resource utilization in a parallel computing environment.