What is a Thread in Java?
A thread in Java is the smallest unit of execution within a process. It allows a
program to perform multiple tasks simultaneously (multithreading), making
applications more responsive and efficient.
In Java, every application runs with at least one thread—the main thread—but you
can create additional threads to handle background tasks.
Key Concepts of Threads
Process vs. Thread
A process is an independent running program with its own memory space.
A thread is a lightweight subprocess within a process, sharing memory with other
threads.
Single-threaded vs. Multi-threaded
Single-threaded: Executes one task at a time (like reading a file, then displaying
it).
Multi-threaded: Executes multiple tasks simultaneously (like playing music while
downloading a file).