A thread is the smallest unit of execution within a process. Threads allow programs to perform multiple tasks concurrently, improving responsiveness and performance. Each thread runs independently but shares memory and resources with other threads in the same process. Multithreading enables programs to handle multiple operations, such as processing requests or performing background computations. Threads are widely used in backend systems, UI frameworks, and parallel computing. However, improper thread management can lead to bugs such as race conditions or deadlocks.
How it Works
When a process starts, it typically has one main thread. Additional threads can be created to perform specific tasks. The operating system schedules threads across CPU cores, switching between them rapidly. Threads share memory, which allows fast communication but increases the need for synchronization. Thread pools help manage large numbers of short lived tasks efficiently. Understanding threading is essential for optimizing performance and debugging concurrency issues.