Question

Child process VS Thread

Hi, What is the advantages and disadvantages of child process and thread/

Answer 1

rocesses Vs Threads

In many ways threads operate in the same way as that of processes. Some of the similarities and differences are:

Similarities

Like processes threads share CPU and only one thread active (running) at a time.

Like processes, threads within a processes, threads within a processes execute sequentially.

Like processes, thread can create children.

And like process, if one thread is blocked, another thread can run.

Differences

Unlike processes, threads are not independent of one another.

Unlike processes, all threads can access every address in the task .

Unlike processes, thread are designed to assist one other. Note that processes might or might not assist one another because processes may originate from different users.

Following are some reasons why we use threads in designing operating systems.

1. A process with multiple threads make a great server for example printer server.
2. Because threads can share common data, they do not need to use interprocess communication.
3. Because of the very nature, threads can take advantage of multiprocessors.
4. Threads are cheap in the sense that

• They only need a stack and storage for registers therefore, threads are cheap to create.
• Threads use very little resources of an operating system in which they are working. That is, threads do not need new address space, global data, program code or operating system resources.
• Context switching are fast when working with threads. The reason is that we only have to save and/or restore PC, SP and registers.