How does the Linux operating system manage process memory allocation and release?

In Linux, process memory management is handled through the Memory Management Unit (MMU) and the OS kernel. The main mechanisms are:

• Virtual Memory: each process is allocated its own virtual address space, isolating processes from each other.
• Paging: memory is divided into fixed-size pages (usually 4 KB). The kernel manages the mapping of virtual pages to physical memory.
• Memory Allocation: processes request memory via system calls (e.g., brk, mmap). The kernel allocates pages and updates page tables.
• Memory Release: upon process termination or memory release calls, the kernel returns pages to the free memory pool.
• Swapping: if physical memory is insufficient, pages can be swapped out to disk.

Thus, Linux manages memory efficiently, providing isolation, protection, and optimal resource utilization.