In this article, we will explore the concept of process scheduling and its importance in the Linux environment. Process scheduling is a fundamental aspect of any operating system, as it determines the order in which processes are executed on the CPU. By understanding how process scheduling works in Linux, readers will gain insights into how their system manages and prioritizes tasks, leading to improved performance and efficiency.

Examples:

1. Scheduling Policies in Linux:

   • Linux offers different scheduling policies, such as the Completely Fair Scheduler (CFS) and Real-Time Scheduling (RT). The CFS is the default scheduler in most Linux distributions and aims to provide fairness and responsiveness. On the other hand, RT scheduling is suitable for time-sensitive applications that require strict deadlines.
   • To check the current scheduling policy of a process, use the chrt command followed by the process ID. For example, chrt -p <pid> will display the scheduling policy and priority of the specified process.

2. Process Priorities:

   • Each process in Linux is assigned a priority value that determines its importance relative to other processes. The priority range varies depending on the scheduling policy being used.
   • The nice command allows users to adjust the priority of a process. A higher nice value means lower priority, while a lower nice value means higher priority. For example, nice -n 10 command will execute the command with a lower priority.

3. CPU Affinity:

   • Linux allows users to control which CPUs a process can run on. This feature is known as CPU affinity and can be useful in scenarios where certain processes require dedicated CPU resources.
   • To set CPU affinity for a process, use the taskset command followed by the CPU mask and the process ID. For example, taskset -c 0,2 <pid> will restrict the process to run only on CPUs 0 and 2.