Explain the concept of thread, Computer Engineering

Assignment Help:

The Concept of Thread

A thread is a sequential flow of control within a process. A process is able to have one or more threads. Threads have their own register-values and program-counter but they share memory space and other resources of the process. Every process begins with a single thread. Through the execution, other threads can be created as and when required. Similar to processes, every thread has an execution state (terminated, ready, blocked or running). A thread has right to use the memory address space and resources of its process. Threads have similar life cycles as processes do. A single processor system may support concurrency by switching execution among two or more threads. A multi processor system may support parallel concurrency by executing a separate thread on every processor. There are three fundamental techniques in concurrent programming languages for terminating and creating threads: 

  • Unsynchronised creation and termination - In this mode threads are created and terminated by means of library functions for example START_PROCESS, CREATE_PROCESS, START_THREAD, CREATE_THREAD and. Thus because of these function calls a new thread or process is created and starts executing independent of its parents.
  • Synchronized termination and unsynchronised creation: This manner uses two instructions: JOIN and FORK. The FORK instruction creates a new thread or process. When the parent needs the child's (thread or process) result, it calls JOIN instruction. At this junction two processes (threads) are synchronised.
  • Synchronised termination and creation: The most often system construct to implement synchronization is COBEGIN...COEND. The threads among the COBEGIN...COEND construct are implemented in parallel. The termination of parent-child is suspended till all child threads are terminated.

We can think of a thread as essentially a lightweight process. Though, threads propose a number of advantages over processes. The advantages are as follows:

a)  It does not take so much time to create and terminate a new thread than to create and terminate a process. The reason is that a newly created thread uses the current process address space.  

b)  It does not take so much time to switch between two threads within a common process, partly since the newly created thread uses current process address space. 

c)  Less communication overheads -- communicating between the threads of one process is simple since the threads share amongst other entities the address space. So, data generated by one thread is right away available to all other threads.


Related Discussions:- Explain the concept of thread

Insert images in dreamweaver, Q. Insert images in Dreamweaver? You will...

Q. Insert images in Dreamweaver? You will learn two methods to insert images in Dreamweaver-using Dreamweaver's main menu and using Objects panel. 1. Click anywhere in the l

Explain the difference between ram and rom, RAM: Read / Write memory, High ...

RAM: Read / Write memory, High Speed, Volatile Memory. ROM: Read only memory, Low Speed, Non Voliate Memory.   RAM- Random Access memory it is a Volatile Memory.  volatil

How can we set the table spaces and extent sizes, How can we set the table ...

How can we set the table spaces and extent sizes? You can state the extent sizes and the table space (physical storage area in the database) in which a transparent table is to

Which of the logic gates are known as universal gates, Which of the logic g...

Which of the logic gates are known as universal gates ? Ans. NAND and NOR are termed as universal gates, since any digital circuit can be realized completely by using either of

Define the example client-server implementations, Define the Example Client...

Define the Example Client-server Implementations Once you accept the client-server mindset, the process of architecting and developing applications becomes rather easy. Clearly

Explain the reference count - free memory areas, Explain the Reference Coun...

Explain the Reference Count The system relates a reference count along with each memory area to point out the number of its active users. This number is incremented while a us

What is managed bean or mbean, A managed bean - sometimes simply referred t...

A managed bean - sometimes simply referred to as an MBean - is a type of JavaBean, developed with dependency injection. Managed Beans are particularly used in the Java Management E

Why is the wait-for-memory-function-completed, Why is the Wait-For-Memory-F...

Why is the Wait-For-Memory-Function-Completed step required when reading from or writing to the main memory? WMFC step is needed for the write control signal / read control si

Define electronic data interchange, Define Electronic Data Interchange. ...

Define Electronic Data Interchange. An EDI stand for Electronic Data Interchange is used by organizations for transactions which occur on regular basis to a pre-determined for

What is gdpro and magicdraw uml, What is GDPro and  MagicDraw UML GDP...

What is GDPro and  MagicDraw UML GDPro : This  is a full suite of code  management tools and UML. MagicDraw UML: UML diagrams fully support this: MagicDraw RConverter a

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd