Opertng System Concept — Introduction to Processes + 5 more topics

• Program Code (text section): This is the actual set of instructions.
• Current Activity: Includes the program counter (which instruction to execute next) and other processor contents (like CPU registers).
• Stack: Holds temporary data such as function parameters, return addresses, and local variables.
• Data Section: Contains global variables used by the program.
• Heap: Memory that's dynamically allocated during the program's runtime.

A process is a program in execution. It's more than just the code; it also includes:
* The program code (text section): The actual instructions.
* Current activity: What the program is doing right now, tracked by the program counter (which instruction is next) and other processor contents.
* Stack: Temporary data like function parameters, return addresses, and local variables.
* Data section: Global variables.
* Heap: Memory that's dynamically allocated as the program runs.

A process is essentially a program in execution. When you launch an application, it becomes a process. Each process needs to progress in a sequential fashion. To identify and manage each process, the operating system uses a Process Control Block (PCB), which holds all the critical information about that process.