What is the difference between fork() and vfork() system calls in macOS, and what are their advantages and disadvantages?

In macOS, system calls fork() and vfork() are used to create a new process, but they work differently:

• fork() creates a new process by copying the parent's address space (copy-on-write), allowing the child process to operate independently. This is safe but requires more resources.

• vfork() creates a new process but does not copy the address space; instead, the child process uses the parent's memory until exec() or _exit() is called. It is faster and conserves resources but is dangerous, as changes to the child's memory can affect the parent.

Advantages and disadvantages:

• fork():

  • • Safety and process independence
  • • Higher memory and time overhead

• vfork():

  • • Faster and saves memory
  • • Requires caution, as memory should not be modified or complex operations performed before exec()

Use vfork() only if the child process immediately calls exec() or _exit(), otherwise fork() is preferable.