What are the differences between a thread pool and a process pool?

What are the differences between a thread pool and a process pool?

A thread pool uses multiple threads within a single process, while a process pool uses multiple processes. Thread pools are generally lighter and faster for tasks that require shared memory, while process pools are better for CPU-bound tasks that need isolation.

When should I use a thread pool instead of a process pool?

Use a thread pool for I/O-bound tasks where you need to manage many tasks that wait for external resources. Use a process pool for CPU-bound tasks that require heavy computation and benefit from parallel execution.

Can you give me an example of when to use each?

Sure! For example, if you're building a web server that handles many requests, a thread pool is ideal. For a data processing application that performs complex calculations, a process pool would be more efficient.

What are the downsides of using a thread pool?

Thread pools can lead to issues like thread contention and deadlocks if not managed properly. They also have limitations in terms of CPU-bound tasks due to the Global Interpreter Lock (GIL) in languages like Python.