The document discusses threads and multithreading. It defines a thread as a path of execution within a process that can contain multiple threads. Threads allow for parallel processing and share common resources like code and data within a process. The document discusses user-level and kernel-level threads and their differences. It also covers multithreading models and how new threads are created through thread library APIs.
The document discusses threads and multithreading. It defines a thread as a path of execution within a process that can contain multiple threads. Threads allow for parallel processing and share common resources like code and data within a process. The document discusses user-level and kernel-level threads and their differences. It also covers multithreading models and how new threads are created through thread library APIs.
The document discusses threads and multithreading. It defines a thread as a path of execution within a process that can contain multiple threads. Threads allow for parallel processing and share common resources like code and data within a process. The document discusses user-level and kernel-level threads and their differences. It also covers multithreading models and how new threads are created through thread library APIs.
The document discusses threads and multithreading. It defines a thread as a path of execution within a process that can contain multiple threads. Threads allow for parallel processing and share common resources like code and data within a process. The document discusses user-level and kernel-level threads and their differences. It also covers multithreading models and how new threads are created through thread library APIs.
INSTRUCTOR SIBGHA ZIA DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE UAF SUB CAMPUS BUREWALA THREADS A thread is a path of execution within a process. A process can contain multiple threads. It is a sequences of instruction within a process. A thread behave like a process with in a process. THREAD A thread is a basic unit of CPU utilization, consisting of a program counter, a stack, and a set of registers, ( and a thread ID. )It is also called a light weight entity.
Traditional ( heavyweight ) processes have a single thread of control -
There is one program counter, and one sequence of instructions that can be carried out at any given time.
Multi-threaded applications have multiple threads within a single
process, each having their own program counter, stack and set of registers, but sharing common code, data, and certain structures such as open files Threads are very useful in modern programming whenever a process has multiple tasks to perform independently of the others.
This is particularly true when one of the tasks may block, and it is desired to allow the other tasks to proceed without blocking.
For example in a word processor, a background thread may check
spelling and grammar while a foreground thread processes user input ( keystrokes ), while yet a third thread loads images from the hard drive, and a fourth does periodic automatic backups of the file being edited. SINGLE THREADED MULTITHREADED COMPONENTS OF THREADS
Any thread has the following components.
Program counter
Register set
Stack space NEED OF THREAD It takes far less time to create a new thread in an existing process than to create a new process. Threads can share the common data, they do not need to use Inter- Process communication. Context switching is faster when working with threads.
It takes less time to terminate a thread than a process.
EXAMPLE
For example, in a browser, many tabs can be viewed as threads. MS
Word uses many threads - formatting text from one thread, processing input from another thread, etc. EXAMPLE Another example is a web server – Multiple threads allow for multiple requests to be satisfied simultaneously, without having to service requests sequentially or to fork off separate processes for every incoming request. BENEFITS Responsiveness - One thread may provide rapid response while other threads are blocked or slowed down doing intensive calculations. Resource sharing - By default threads share common code, data, and other resources, which allows multiple tasks to be performed simultaneously in a single address space. Economy - Creating and managing threads ( and context switches between them ) is much faster than performing the same tasks for processes. Scalability, i.e. Utilization of multiprocessor architectures - A single threaded process can only run on one CPU, no matter how many may be available, whereas the execution of a multi-threaded application may be split amongst available processors. TYPES OF THREADS
There are two types of threads to be managed in a modern system
User threads
kernel threads
User threads are supported above the kernel, without kernel support. These are the threads that application programmers would put into their programs.
Kernel threads are supported within the kernel of the OS itself. All modern OS support kernel level threads, allowing the kernel to perform multiple simultaneous tasks and/or to service multiple kernel system calls simultaneously USER-LEVEL THREAD
The operating system does not recognize the user-level thread. User threads can be easily implemented and it is implemented by the user. If a user performs a user-level thread blocking operation, the whole process is blocked. The kernel level thread does not know nothing about the user level thread. examples: Java
thread, POSIX threads, etc.
ADVANTAGES OF USER-LEVEL THREADS The user threads can be easily implemented than the kernel thread. User-level threads can be applied to such types of operating systems that do not support threads at the kernel-level. It is faster and efficient.
Context switch time is shorter than the kernel-level threads.
It does not require modifications of the operating system.
Disadvantages:
User-level threads lack coordination between the thread and the
kernel. If a thread causes a page fault, the entire process is blocked. KERNEL LEVEL THREAD The kernel thread recognizes the operating system. There is a thread control block and process control block in the system for each thread and process in the kernel-level thread. The kernel-level thread is implemented by the operating system. The kernel knows about all the threads and manages them. The kernel-level thread offers a system call to create and manage the threads from user-space. The implementation of kernel threads is more difficult than the user thread. Context switch time is longer in the kernel thread. If a kernel thread performs a blocking operation, the Banky thread execution can continue. Example: Window Solaris. ADVANTAGES OF KERNEL-LEVEL THREADS
The kernel-level thread is fully aware of all threads.
The scheduler may decide to spend more CPU time in the process of threads being large numerical. The kernel-level thread is good for those applications that block the frequency.
Disadvantages of Kernel-level threads
The kernel thread manages and schedules all threads.
The implementation of kernel threads is difficult than the user thread.
The kernel-level thread is slower than user-level threads
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PROCESS AND THREADS MULTITHREADING
Multithreading is the ability of a program or an operating system
process to manage its use by more than one user at a time and to even manage multiple requests by the same user without having to have multiple copies of the programming running in the computer. WHAT DOES MULTITHREADING MEAN? Multithreading is a CPU (central processing unit) feature that allows two or more instruction threads to execute independently while sharing the same process resources.
A thread is a self-contained sequence of instructions that can execute
in parallel with other threads that are part of the same root process.
Multithreading allows multiple concurrent tasks can be performed
within a single process. MULTITHREADING MODEL
One to one Model
Many to many Model
Many to one Model
Linux and Windows from 95 to XP implement the one- to-one model for threads. • The green threads by Solaris and GNU portable threads are implemented by the Many to one model. Users have no restrictions on the number of threads created. •It is used by Solaris, IRIX, HP-UX, Tru64 UNIX HOW NEW THREADS IS CREATED?
Process normally start with a single thread when multithreading is
present. The thread has the ability to create new threads by calling a library procedure.
Threads libraries: A thread library provides API to create and manage threads. There are two ways to implement the thread library. 1st Approach is to provide a library exist in user space with no kernel support. 2nd Approach is to implement kernel level library supported by operating system.
