What is the difference between task, process and thread ?

Question

Accepted Answer

Task is a unit of work, process is an instance of a program, and thread is a subset of a process.

Task is a single unit of work that needs to be completed.
Process is an instance of a program that is being executed.
Thread is a subset of a process that can run concurrently with other threads.
A process can have multiple threads, but a thread can only belong to one process.
Threads share the same memory space, while processes have their own memory space.
Threads are lightweight compared to processes, as they require less overhead.
Examples: A process can be a web browser, while a thread within that process can be responsible for rendering images.
Another example: A task can be sending an email, which can be part of a larger process of composing and sending an email.
Yet another example: A process can be a game, while threads within that process can handle graphics, audio, and user input.

Accepted Answer

Task: A set of program instructions that are loaded in memory.

Process: A program in execution is known as thread.

Thread: A process can have multiple threads dedicated to perform some very atomic task.

Top Qualcomm Software Engineer interview questions & answers