A [[Process (computing)|process]] image is a copy of a given process's [[State (computer science)|state]] at a given point in time. It is often used forto create [[persistence (computer science)|persistence]] within an otherwise volatile system. A common example is a [[database management system]] (DBMS). Most DBMS can store the state of its [[database]] or databases to a file before being closed down (see [[database dump]]). The DBMS can then be restarted later with the information in the database intact and proceed as though the software had never stopped. Another example would be the [[Hibernate (OS feature)|hibernate]] feature of many operating systems. Here, the state of all [[RAM]] memory is stored to disk, the computer is brought into an energy saving mode, then later restored to normal operation.
Some [[emulator]]s provide a facility to save an image of the system being emulated. In video gaming, this is often referred to as a [[savestate]].
Another use is [[code mobility]]: a [[mobile agent]] can migrate between machines by having its state saved, then copying the data to another machine and restarting there.
