What is the difference between a thread of execution and a separate process in an operating system?

Main differences between a thread of execution (thread) and a separate process:

• Process — an isolated unit of execution with its own address space, memory, and system resources. Each process operates independently, and data between processes is transferred through interprocess communication (IPC).

• Thread — a unit of execution within a process that shares memory and resources with other threads of the same process but has its own call stack and registers.

Example:

• Multiple threads within a single application (process) can perform different tasks in parallel using shared memory.
• Separate processes do not share memory directly, which provides better isolation and security but requires additional mechanisms for data exchange.

Thus, threads are easier and faster to create and switch between, but they are less isolated than processes.