Process Management (Processes and Threads)

Introduction to Process Management

Overview of Operating Systems

• The lecture focuses on process management, a crucial aspect of operating systems, following previous discussions on OS introduction and structures.

• Clarification is provided regarding the common confusion between processes and threads.

Understanding Programs and Execution

• A program is initially written in high-level languages (e.g., C, C++, Java), which must be compiled into machine code for execution.

• The operating system plays a vital role in loading executable programs into memory and allocating necessary resources for execution.

What is a Process?

Definition of a Process

• A process is defined as a program in execution; it transitions from being a passive entity to an active one upon starting execution.

• Modern computers can support multiple processes running simultaneously, unlike earlier systems that could only handle one at a time.

Understanding Threads

Definition of Threads

• A thread is described as the basic unit of execution within a process; each process can contain multiple threads.

• The distinction between processes and threads is emphasized: while a process represents an executing program, threads are the individual units of work within that process.

Visualizing Processes and Threads

Task Manager Insights

• Users can view active processes through the task manager in Windows, showcasing how many programs are currently running.

• An example from the task manager illustrates that applications like Chromium may have multiple associated processes.

Exploring Threads with Process Explorer

Advanced Monitoring Tools

Understanding Processes and Threads in Operating Systems

Introduction to Processes and Threads

• The speaker demonstrates how to view the chrome.exe process on a system, highlighting the ability to access its properties.

• By right-clicking on the process and selecting the properties, users can navigate to the threads tab, which displays all active threads associated with that process.

• Threads are defined as units of execution within a process, indicating that multiple threads can run concurrently within a single application like Chrome.

• The speaker emphasizes that this visual example clarifies the distinction between processes and threads, providing foundational knowledge about their functions.