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Introduction to Multi-Threaded Programming: Key Concepts

This blog post discusses how multi-tasking enables efficient CPU time-sharing among programs, allowing them to seemingly run simultaneously on a single-core processor. The OS scheduler manages task switching, allowing programs like a music player and a word processor to share CPU time effectively. Context switching is a rapid process that gives the appearance of parallel execution. However, distinct processes have isolated memory spaces, complicating data sharing. Threads within a process, on the other hand, share address space, simplifying communication and resource management. This post also introduces the pthread library for creating threads in C, showcasing the practicality of multi-threading.

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Understanding Parallelism in Uni-Processor Systems

The content explains that a uni-processor system has only one CPU, which can execute only one piece of code at a time. This leads to pseudo parallelism, where multiple programs seem to run simultaneously by sharing CPU time. For illustration, two simple programs are presented: one continuously prints "Hello World" and the other prints "Hello Boss." In practice, they take turns using the CPU, facilitated by the operating system's scheduler. The blog emphasizes terminologies like process and infinite loop, providing insights into how parallelism works, even in environments with limited processing capabilities.