What Is Computer Processing and How It Works

What is a Computer Process?

A process represents an active instance of a program being executed. Think of it as a program in action, utilizing system resources to perform its designated tasks. Whenever you open an application, stream a video, or even just browse the web, you're witnessing processes at work.

Learning how computer processing works can be a simple process if you learn about the basics of a CPU and how it relates to a computer's functionality. There are certain steps that a CPU follows to allow computer processing to occur.

Before computer processing can take place, the computer itself requires information and program instructions to exist within its internal memory.

Once this happens, a cycle called the machine cycle, which consists of four important steps, takes place for computer processing to occur. From there, the instruction time, otherwise known as I-time, can occur.

Once this happens, the CPU collects the instruction in question from its memory, decodes the specific instruction and uses this information to direct the required data to move to the arithmetic and logic unit. The next steps, known as the execution time, or E-time, involve the arithmetic and logic unit and the execution of the specific instruction based on the data it's received.

This unit stores the results from the operation in the computer's RAM. The control unit then directs memory to let go of the result and store it in a secondary storage device.

The Life Cycle of a Process:

A computer process typically transitions through distinct states during its lifetime:

• New: The process is created but hasn't yet been allocated resources.
• Ready: The process is queued and awaiting its turn to use the CPU.
• Running: The process is actively executing instructions on the CPU.
• Waiting: The process is paused, waiting for an event (e.g., user input, data from disk) to occur.
• Terminated: The process has completed execution or has been forcibly stopped.

Process Management: The Operating System's Role

The operating system plays a crucial role in managing processes, ensuring they coexist harmoniously and utilize resources efficiently.

Key functions include:

• Process Creation and Termination: Allocating resources, initializing PCBs, and cleaning up after process completion.
• Scheduling: Determining which process gets to use the CPU and for how long, using algorithms like First-Come, First-Served (FCFS) or Priority Scheduling.
• Inter-process Communication (IPC): Facilitating communication between processes to synchronize actions or share data.

 Pick a CPU to use for computer processing?

Selecting a CPU to use for computer processing first involves considering what types of activities you plan to use your computer for. For instance, if you plan to use a computer to play video games and chat with other people who are playing video games, you may determine that you need a CPU that has multiple cores and can support this activity.

You may also consider how fast you'd like your computer to carry out tasks. For instance, if you day trade using your computer, you may need to have a CPU that supports quick requests and commands so that you can succeed in your work. For both of these situations, you may consider clock speed and the number of cores your CPU should have to determine which one to use for computer processing.