What is a process group and how is it useful?

Os Process Management Questions



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What is a process group and how is it useful?

A process group is a collection of related processes that are grouped together for management purposes. It is useful in several ways:

1. Signal handling: Process groups allow signals to be sent to multiple processes simultaneously. For example, if a signal is sent to a process group, all processes within that group will receive the signal.

2. Foreground and background processes: Process groups are used to manage foreground and background processes. By assigning processes to different groups, the operating system can control their execution and prioritize resources accordingly.

3. Job control: Process groups enable job control, which involves managing the execution of multiple processes as a single unit. This allows for functionalities like suspending, resuming, and terminating a group of processes together.

4. Process hierarchy: Process groups are organized in a hierarchical manner, with each group having a unique process group ID (PGID). This hierarchy helps in organizing and managing processes efficiently.

Overall, process groups provide a way to organize and manage related processes, allowing for efficient resource allocation, signal handling, and job control within an operating system.