File:Concepts-_Program_vs._Process_vs._Thread.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
process
Sign in to saveAlso known as computer process, computing process
particular execution of a computer program
Wikidata facts
- Subclass of
- task
- Image
- KSysGuard 5.22.0 process table screenshot.png
Show 4 more facts
- has characteristic
- input
- topic's main category
- Category:Process (computing)
- facet of
- operating system
- Commons category
- Process (computing)
Sources (2)
via Wikidata · CC0
~12 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Program vs. Process vs. Thread Scheduling, Preemption, Context Switching
In computing, a process is the instance of a computer program that is being executed by one or many threads. There are many different process models, some of which are lightweight, but almost all processes (even entire virtual machines) are rooted in an operating system (OS) process which comprises the program code, assigned system resources, physical and logical access permissions, and data structures to initiate, control and coordinate execution activity. Depending on the OS, a process may be made up of multiple threads of execution that execute instructions concurrently.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “process” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.