What are the differences between fragmentation and segmentation in operating systems?

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Accepted Answer

Fragmentation is the division of memory into smaller blocks, while segmentation is the division of memory into logical segments.

Fragmentation divides memory into smaller blocks, leading to wasted space and inefficient memory usage.
Segmentation divides memory into logical segments based on program structure or data types.
Fragmentation can occur due to external fragmentation (unused memory between allocated blocks) or internal fragmentation (unused memory within allocated blocks).
Segmentation allows for better organization of memory and easier management of different parts of a program.
Examples of fragmentation include external fragmentation in the heap memory and internal fragmentation in fixed-size memory allocation.
Examples of segmentation include dividing memory into code segment, data segment, and stack segment.

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