DSA Factory
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Operating systems

Free Processes and threads lessons

7 lessons, about 1½ hours in all. Each teaches one idea with a visual, then gives you a problem or a few questions on it. Read the lessons here, then create a free account to practise and keep your progress.

Start free with lesson 1See the full Processes and threads path

Stage 0States and switching

  1. The process statesLearn the states a process moves through, what triggers each move, and the three kinds of scheduler.12 min
  2. The context switchSee exactly what is saved and restored when the CPU changes process, and what it costs.12 min

Stage 1Threads

  1. Why threads existSee how doing several things at once inside one process hides waiting time, and what it costs to set up.12 min
  2. Kernel threads and user threadsUnderstand who manages threads (the library or the kernel) and the three ways to map them to kernel threads.13 min
  3. Threads versus processesPick the right one by what each shares, what a crash does, and what each costs to create.11 min

Stage 2Processes talking to each other

  1. Shared memory or message passingCompare the two basic ways for separate processes to exchange data, and what each demands from the programmer.12 min
  2. Pipes and signalsSee how a pipe connects two programs with a bounded buffer, and how signals interrupt a process.12 min

All of Processes and threads is free

That’s the whole topic, from the first idea to the mastery stage, with no card needed. Create a free account to practise, keep your progress and carry on to the next topic.

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