Fundamentals of Operating Systems: Process Control and CPU Scheduling

Every software application relies on the underlying operating system to allocate resources, manage memory, and execute code. Understanding how the operating system coordinates these tasks is essential for writing efficient, high-performance software. This text-based course guides you through the foundational pillars of operating systems, specifically focusing on process management and CPU scheduling. You will transition from a basic user to a developer who understands exactly how computers juggle multiple tasks simultaneously. What you'll learn: - Understand core operating system functions, system calls, and the transition between user and kernel modes. - Analyze process states, life cycles, and the role of the Process Control Block in context switching. - Compare CPU scheduling algorithms including First-Come-First-Serve, Shortest Job First, Round Robin, and Priority Scheduling. - Examine the difference between processes and threads, including modern multi-threading and multi-core execution concepts. - Evaluate scheduling performance metrics such as throughput, turnaround time, and response time through practical written exercises. The course begins with essential terminology and the architecture of an operating system, before diving deep into process states and step-by-step breakdowns of classic CPU scheduling algorithms with clear text-based examples. This course is designed for beginner computer science students, self-taught programmers, and anyone looking to build a strong theoretical foundation in systems programming with no prior operating system experience required. Start reading today to master the inner workings of modern operating systems.