Technology Fundamentals
Process
Definition
A process is an instance of a computer program that is being executed. It contains the program code and its current activity. A process may be made up of multiple threads of execution that execute instructions concurrently.
Why It Matters
The operating system manages all the running processes, allocating CPU time and memory to each one. This separation ensures that processes do not interfere with each other, so if one application crashes, it doesn't bring down the whole system.
Contextual Example
When you open your web browser, word processor, and music player, each one runs as a separate process on your computer. Your operating system's task manager will show a list of all these active processes.
Common Misunderstandings
- Processes have their own isolated memory space, which is different from threads that share the memory of their parent process.
- Inter-Process Communication (IPC) is the mechanism that allows different processes to communicate and share data with each other.