Creating child process using fork() in Python

Last Updated : 12 Dec, 2017
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Create a child process and display process id of both parent and child process. Fork system call use for creates a new process, which is called child process, which runs concurrently with process (which process called system call fork) and this process is called parent process. After a new child process created, both processes will execute the next instruction following the fork() system call. Library used : os : The OS module in Python provides a way of using operating system dependent functionality. The functions that the OS module provides allows you to interface with the underlying operating system that Python is running on; be that Windows, Mac or Linux. It can be imported as -
import os

System Call Used :

  • fork() : fork() is an operation whereby a process creates a copy of itself. It is usually a system call, implemented in the kernel.
  • getpid() : getpid() returns the process ID (PID) of the calling process.

  • Below is Python program implementing above : Python3
    # Python code to create child process 
    import os
    
    def parent_child():
        n = os.fork()
    
        # n greater than 0  means parent process
        if n > 0:
            print("Parent process and id is : ", os.getpid())
    
        # n equals to 0 means child process
        else:
            print("Child process and id is : ", os.getpid())
            
    # Driver code
    parent_child()
    
    Output :
    
    Child process and id is :  32523
    Parent process and id is :  32524
    
    Note : Output can vary time to time, machine to machine or process to process.

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