What is a process?

All you need to know, with the highest signal to noise ratio article i can write.

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Processes are integral parts of any UNIX-like operating system, yet they often remain mysterious to the average user. So, let’s journey together to understand what processes really are and their significance in our digital world.

The Static and The Active

Think of an application as a book. When it’s on the shelf (disk, flash memory, or cloud), it’s merely potential knowledge, waiting to be absorbed. Just like how a book isn’t imparting knowledge until someone reads it, an application doesn’t execute or perform its task until it’s launched. Once you pick up a book to read or launch an application, it transforms.

• Application: A static entity. It’s your book waiting on the shelf.
• Process: An active entity. It’s the act of reading the book and absorbing the information.

Imagine launching a word editor. The moment you do, this application becomes a process. The exciting part? If you open the same word editor twice, you create two distinct processes. It’s like having twins with the same genetic code, but as they interact with the world, they develop unique experiences and memories. Each process, while originating from the same application, will have its unique state, dependent on its interactions.