Process management (computing): Difference between revisions

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== Multiprogramming ==

In any modern-day operating system, there is more than one [[computer program|program]] loaded in memory at a given time. For example, more than one user can be executing the same program, with each user having separate copies of the program loaded into memory. With some programs, it is possible to have one copy loaded into memory, while several users have shared access to it so that they can each execute the same program code. At a given instant, theThe [[central processing unit|processor]], at any instantgiven instance, can only be executingexecute one instruction from one program, but several processes can be sustained over a period of time. The processor accomplishes this by assigning each separate process to the processor atand intervalsduring whilethese intervals, the remainderremaining processes become temporarily inactive. The execution of multiple processes over a period of time, rather than simultaneously, is known as concurrent execution.

A [[multiprogramming]] or [[Computer multitasking|multitasking]] OS is a system that can execute many processes concurrently. Multiprogramming requires that the processor be allocated to each process for a period of time and de-allocated or issued at an appropriate moment. If the processor is de-allocated during the execution of a process, it must be done in such a way that it can be restarted later as easily as possible.