Process Management
Process management is a core operating system concept that involves creating, scheduling, executing, and terminating processes (running instances of programs) to efficiently utilize system resources like CPU, memory, and I/O devices. It includes mechanisms for process synchronization, communication, and deadlock handling to ensure reliable and concurrent execution in multi-tasking environments. This is fundamental in both system-level programming (e.g., operating systems) and application development for managing tasks and workflows.
Developers should learn process management when building systems that require concurrency, parallelism, or resource optimization, such as server applications, embedded systems, or high-performance computing software. It is essential for handling multiple tasks simultaneously, preventing race conditions, and ensuring efficient CPU usage, particularly in environments like Linux/Unix systems where process control is a key part of system programming. Understanding this concept helps in debugging performance issues and designing scalable applications.