What are the benefits of multiprocessing and multithreading?

What are the benefits of multiprocessing and multithreading?

Multiprocessing allows multiple processes to run simultaneously, improving performance for CPU-bound tasks. Multithreading, on the other hand, enables concurrent execution within a single process, which is great for I/O-bound tasks. Both can enhance efficiency and resource utilization.

Can you give examples of when to use each?

Sure! Use multiprocessing for tasks like data processing or heavy computations where CPU resources are a bottleneck. Use multithreading for tasks like web scraping or handling multiple user requests where waiting for I/O operations is common.

What are the downsides of each approach?

Multiprocessing can consume more memory and has overhead from inter-process communication. Multithreading can lead to issues like race conditions and deadlocks if not managed properly.

Which one is better for a web application?

It depends on the application's needs. For handling many simultaneous connections, multithreading is often preferred. However, if you have CPU-intensive tasks, consider using multiprocessing.