A process is an independent program in execution that has its own memory space, system resources, and program counter. Each process runs in isolation — meaning one process cannot directly access the memory of another.
A thread, on the other hand, is the smallest unit of execution within a process. Multiple threads within the same process share the same memory and resources but execute different parts of the program simultaneously.
In simple terms:
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Process → Independent program with its own memory.
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Thread → Lightweight unit within a process that shares memory with other threads.
Example:
When you open Chrome, each tab may run as a separate process, but within each tab, multiple threads handle rendering, JavaScript execution, and background tasks.