Browse Definitions :
Definition

thread

1) On the Internet in USENET newsgroups and similar forums, a thread is a sequence of responses to an initial message posting. This enables you to follow or join an individual discussion in a newsgroup from among the many that may be there. A thread is usually shown graphically as an inital message and successive messages "hung off" the original message. As a newsgroup user, you contribute to a thread by specifying a "Reference" topic as part of your message.

2) In computer programming, a thread is placeholder information associated with a single use of a program that can handle multiple concurrent users. From the program's point-of-view, a thread is the information needed to serve one individual user or a particular service request. If multiple users are using the program or concurrent requests from other programs occur, a thread is created and maintained for each of them. The thread allows a program to know which user is being served as the program alternately gets re-entered on behalf of different users. (One way thread information is kept by storing it in a special data area and putting the address of that data area in a register. The operating system always saves the contents of the register when the program is interrupted and restores it when it gives the program control again.)

A thread and a task are similar and are often confused. Most computers can only execute one program instruction at a time, but because they operate so fast, they appear to run many programs and serve many users simultaneously. The computer operating system gives each program a "turn" at running, then requires it to wait while another program gets a turn. Each of these programs is viewed by the operating system as a task for which certain resources are identified and kept track of. The operating system manages each application program in your PC system (spreadsheet, word processor, Web browser) as a separate task and lets you look at and control items on a task list. If the program initiates an I/O request, such as reading a file or writing to a printer, it creates a thread. The data kept as part of a thread allows a program to be reentered at the right place when the I/O operation completes. Meanwhile, other concurrent uses of the program are maintained on other threads. Most of today's operating systems provide support for both multitasking and multithreading. They also allow multithreading within program processes so that the system is saved the overhead of creating a new process for each thread.

The POSIX.4a C specification provides a set of application program interfaces that allow a programmer to include thread support in the program. Higher-level program development tools and application subsystems and middleware also offer thread management facilities. Languages that support object-oriented programming also accommodate and encourage multithreading in several ways. Java supports multithreading by including synchronization modifiers in the language syntax, by providing classes developed for multithreading that can be inherited by other classes, and by doing background "garbage collection" (recovering data areas that are no longer being used) for multiple threads.

This was last updated in September 2005
Networking
  • voice over LTE (VoLTE)

    Voice over LTE (VoLTE) is a digital packet technology that uses 4G LTE networks to route voice traffic and transmit data.

  • ONOS (Open Network Operating System)

    Open Network Operating System (ONOS) is an OS designed to help network service providers build carrier-grade software-defined ...

  • telematics

    Telematics is a term that combines the words telecommunications and informatics to describe the use of communications and IT to ...

Security
  • three-factor authentication (3FA)

    Three-factor authentication (3FA) is the use of identity-confirming credentials from three separate categories of authentication ...

  • cyber espionage

    Cyber espionage (cyberespionage) is a type of cyber attack that malicious hackers carry out against a business or government ...

  • role-based access control (RBAC)

    Role-based access control (RBAC) is a method of restricting network access based on the roles of individual users within an ...

CIO
  • project charter

    A project charter is a formal short document that states a project exists and provides project managers with written authority to...

  • leadership

    Leadership is the ability of an individual or a group of people to influence and guide followers or members of an organization, ...

  • transaction

    In computing, a transaction is a set of related tasks treated as a single action.

HRSoftware
  • employee engagement

    Employee engagement is the emotional and professional connection an employee feels toward their organization, colleagues and work.

  • talent pool

    A talent pool is a database of job candidates who have the potential to meet an organization's immediate and long-term needs.

  • diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)

    Diversity, equity and inclusion is a term used to describe policies and programs that promote the representation and ...

Customer Experience
  • sales development representative (SDR)

    A sales development representative (SDR) is an individual who focuses on prospecting, moving and qualifying leads through the ...

  • service level indicator

    A service level indicator (SLI) is a metric that indicates what measure of performance a customer is receiving at a given time.

  • customer data platform (CDP)

    A customer data platform (CDP) is a type of software application that provides a unified platform of customer information that ...

Close