Difference between Job, Task and Process

Job, task, and process are three terms that are used to refer to the work being done in different types of operating systems. In this article, we will have a detailed study of these three terms and how they are different from each other.

What is a Process?

A program being run is known as a process. A process is referred to as a set of instructions. The process is an active entity, whereas the program is a passive one. When we run a program, it stays on our system's hard drive, and once it enters the main memory, it turns into a process. A process may be in memory, on a hard disk, or on a CPU.

• When a process is run, it transitions through several states. Start, ready, running, waiting, and terminated/executed are a few of these states.

• A few processes can run simultaneously. When several processes are running concurrently, a decision must be made regarding which process should run first. This is referred to as "process scheduling".

• A process is often referred to as an executable and schedulable unit. Additionally, the process allows for inter− process communication. To ensure synchronization when numerous processes are running, processes must interact via communication protocols.

Process Execution

Resources like memory, CPU time, and input−output (I/O) devices are required for a computer system to carry out a process. As a result, it is the duty of the operating system to distribute these resources to various processes in a timely and systematic manner.

Basic information about processes is also maintained in a "process control block". It includes details like the process identification, process state, memory, I/O, scheduling, and accounting data. To coordinate the execution of processes, a process manager is employed.

Example

The Windows task manager allows us to view all current executing processes. Under the processes tab in Task Manager, you can see every background process that is active.

What is a Task?

A task is a small piece of work being done. Process and task may be used interchangeably in operating systems. A task is an element within a job. Together, tasks make up a job. The task could be a process, a single job, a thread, or anything else.

When a task is being executed, it is referred to as a thread. It is possible to complete multiple tasks at once, a process known as multitasking. Parallel tasking refers to the simultaneous execution of multiple tasks in parallel. Time sharing is another name for multitasking. An operating system that supports many programs is an extension of multitasking.

Example

In Java, a thread that is being executed is known as a task. A printer is considered to carry out a printing task when it prints a document. It is also a task (an additional task) when the computer computes the addition of two numbers entered by the user.

What is a Job?

A job is a whole unit of work that is being carried out. A job is made up of many tasks, and tasks are made up of many processes. A set of tasks is referred to as a job. Programs are created to carry out tasks. The terms jobs and tasks are interchangeable in computational work.

Additional tiny procedures are used to carry out these responsibilities. Many processes are involved in the task of gathering input. The user enters the information first. The data is then translated into binary form. Following that, the CPU receives this data to continue processing. The CPU then executes the required steps. As a result, work is divided into tasks, which are then carried out through processes.

Job Scheduler

One or more jobs may be carried out simultaneously. A task is a single job that is completed. A job must be planned if numerous tasks are to be completed simultaneously. A program that schedules jobs is known as a job scheduler. Batch scheduling is another name for a job schedule.

Example

A computer's job is to receive user input, process the data, and deliver the results. This job can be broken down into multiple smaller ones, with the input task acting as the first, the data processing task as the second, and the results task as the third.

Conclusion

A job is work that must be completed. A task is a part of work that must be completed. The process is a collection of steps carried out with a specific goal in mind. Jobs and tasks specify the work that must be completed, whereas processes specify the possible or ideal ways in which the work should be completed.

If a task is a single task, it may be referred to as a process. When a task is a single unit of work, it is considered as a job. A process or series of processes can be referred to as a task, and a job can be defined as a group of tasks.