what is the difference bew multiprogrammin g and multitasking and multiprocessing
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ultiprogramming
In a multiprogramming system there are one or more programs loaded in main memory which are ready to execute. Only one program at a time is able to get the CPU for executing its instructions (i.e., there is at most one process running on the system) while all the others are waiting their turn.
The main idea of multiprogramming is to maximize the use of CPU time. Indeed, suppose the currently running process is performing an I/O task (which, by definition, does not need the CPU to be accomplished). Then, the OS may interrupt that process and give the control to one of the other in-main-memory programs that are ready to execute (i.e. process context switching). In this way, no CPU time is wasted by the system waiting for the I/O task to be completed, and a running process keeps executing until either it voluntarily releases the CPU or when it blocks for an I/O operation. Therefore, the ultimate goal of multiprogramming is to keep the CPU busy as long as there are processes ready to execute.
Note that in order for such a system to function properly, the OS must be able to load multiple programs into separate areas of the main memory and provide the required protection to avoid the chance of one process being modified by another one. Other problems that need to be addressed when having multiple programs in memory is fragmentation as programs enter or leave the main memory. Another issue that needs to be handled as well is that large programs may not fit at once in memory which can be solved by using pagination and virtual memory. Please, refer to this article for more details on that.
Finally, note that if there are N ready processes and all of those are highly CPU-bound (i.e., they mostly execute CPU tasks and none or very few I/O operations), in the very worst case one program might wait all the other N-1 ones to complete before executing.
Multiprocessing
Multiprocessing sometimes refers to executing multiple processes (programs) at the same time. This might be misleading because we have already introduced the term “multiprogramming” to describe that before.
In fact, multiprocessing refers to the hardware (i.e., the CPU units) rather than the software (i.e., running processes). If the underlying hardware provides more than one processor then that is multiprocessing. Several variations on the basic scheme exist, e.g., multiple cores on one die or multiple dies in one package or multiple packages in one system.
Anyway, a system can be both multiprogrammed by having multiple programs running at the same time and multiprocessing by having more than one physical processor.
Multitasking
Multitasking has the same meaning of multiprogramming but in a more general sense, as it refers to having multiple (programs, processes, tasks, threads) running at the same time. This term is used in modern operating systems when multiple tasks share a common processing resource (e.g., CPU and Memory). At any time the CPU is executing one task only while other tasks waiting their turn. The illusion of parallelism is achieved when the CPU is reassigned to another task (i.e. process or thread context switching).
There are subtle differences between multitasking and multiprogramming. A task in a multitasking operating system is not a whole application program but it can also refer to a “thread of execution” when one process is divided into sub-tasks. Each smaller task does not hijack the CPU until it finishes like in the older multiprogramming but rather a fair share amount of the CPU time called quantum.
Just to make it easy to remember, both multiprogramming and multitasking operating systems are (CPU) time sharing systems. However, while in multiprogramming (older OSs) one program as a whole keeps running until it blocks, in multitasking (modern OSs) time sharing is best manifested because each running process takes only a fair quantum of the CPU time.
In a multiprogramming system there are one or more programs loaded in main memory which are ready to execute. Only one program at a time is able to get the CPU for executing its instructions (i.e., there is at most one process running on the system) while all the others are waiting their turn.
The main idea of multiprogramming is to maximize the use of CPU time. Indeed, suppose the currently running process is performing an I/O task (which, by definition, does not need the CPU to be accomplished). Then, the OS may interrupt that process and give the control to one of the other in-main-memory programs that are ready to execute (i.e. process context switching). In this way, no CPU time is wasted by the system waiting for the I/O task to be completed, and a running process keeps executing until either it voluntarily releases the CPU or when it blocks for an I/O operation. Therefore, the ultimate goal of multiprogramming is to keep the CPU busy as long as there are processes ready to execute.
Note that in order for such a system to function properly, the OS must be able to load multiple programs into separate areas of the main memory and provide the required protection to avoid the chance of one process being modified by another one. Other problems that need to be addressed when having multiple programs in memory is fragmentation as programs enter or leave the main memory. Another issue that needs to be handled as well is that large programs may not fit at once in memory which can be solved by using pagination and virtual memory. Please, refer to this article for more details on that.
Finally, note that if there are N ready processes and all of those are highly CPU-bound (i.e., they mostly execute CPU tasks and none or very few I/O operations), in the very worst case one program might wait all the other N-1 ones to complete before executing.
Multiprocessing
Multiprocessing sometimes refers to executing multiple processes (programs) at the same time. This might be misleading because we have already introduced the term “multiprogramming” to describe that before.
In fact, multiprocessing refers to the hardware (i.e., the CPU units) rather than the software (i.e., running processes). If the underlying hardware provides more than one processor then that is multiprocessing. Several variations on the basic scheme exist, e.g., multiple cores on one die or multiple dies in one package or multiple packages in one system.
Anyway, a system can be both multiprogrammed by having multiple programs running at the same time and multiprocessing by having more than one physical processor.
Multitasking
Multitasking has the same meaning of multiprogramming but in a more general sense, as it refers to having multiple (programs, processes, tasks, threads) running at the same time. This term is used in modern operating systems when multiple tasks share a common processing resource (e.g., CPU and Memory). At any time the CPU is executing one task only while other tasks waiting their turn. The illusion of parallelism is achieved when the CPU is reassigned to another task (i.e. process or thread context switching).
There are subtle differences between multitasking and multiprogramming. A task in a multitasking operating system is not a whole application program but it can also refer to a “thread of execution” when one process is divided into sub-tasks. Each smaller task does not hijack the CPU until it finishes like in the older multiprogramming but rather a fair share amount of the CPU time called quantum.
Just to make it easy to remember, both multiprogramming and multitasking operating systems are (CPU) time sharing systems. However, while in multiprogramming (older OSs) one program as a whole keeps running until it blocks, in multitasking (modern OSs) time sharing is best manifested because each running process takes only a fair quantum of the CPU time.
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