Question

______ is a system call to create a new process, which by default is a complete copy of its parent, including the same code and data

A) fork()
B) spawn()
C) exec()
D) create()

Answer 1

fork() is a system call used to create a new process, which is an exact copy of its parent process in terms of code and data. It creates a separate child process with a unique process ID in Unix-like systems.

Step-by-step explanation:

fork() is a system call used to create a new process in Unix and Unix-like operating systems. When fork() is executed, it creates a new process that is an exact copy of the calling (parent) process, including the process's code, data, and heap. This new process is referred to as the child process. The child process receives a unique process ID and has its own address space, even though it is a duplicate of the parent process at the time of creation. The fork() system call is instrumental in traditional multitasking operations as it allows for creation of numerous processes within a single application.