What is the difference between threads of execution and processes in an operating system?

Processes and threads are units of execution in an operating system, but they differ in their level and method of resource management.

• Process is an isolated unit of execution with its own address space, resources (files, memory), and state. Each process operates independently, and data exchange between processes requires special mechanisms (e.g., IPC).

• Thread is a lighter-weight unit of execution within a process. Threads of the same process share its memory and resources but have their own stack and registers. This allows them to work efficiently in parallel and exchange data without additional overhead.

Example: a web browser is a process, and individual tabs or tasks within it can run in different threads to improve performance.