In my operating systems course, we spent a good chunk of time on processes and threads. I knew the words before, but I didn't really get the difference until I saw them compared side by side. Here's what I learned.
What's a process?
A process is basically a program that's running. When you open a web browser, a game, or a text editor, the operating system creates a process for it. Each process gets its own chunk of memory, and it's isolated from other processes — one process can't just reach into another process's memory and mess with it.
Think of a process like a separate apartment. It has its own space, its own stuff, and what happens inside doesn't directly affect the apartment next door.
What's a thread?
