Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a process control block (PCB)?
What is a process control block (PCB)?
A data structure where the operating system saves the context of a process/thread before switching to another.
What is a context switch?
What is a context switch?
A process where the CPU switches between multiple processes/threads in a multitasking operating system by saving the current context of the process/thread being interrupted and loading the saved context of the next process/thread from its PCB.
Why is context switching needed in a multitasking operating system?
Why is context switching needed in a multitasking operating system?
To allow each process/thread to execute for a certain period of time by giving the CPU the ability to switch between them.
