Software → Operating Systems
Context Switch
The operation of saving one execution context and restoring another so the CPU can switch tasks.
Motivation
Context switch solves the problem of sharing one CPU core among multiple execution contexts.
Where it fits
Context Switch belongs to operating systems and concurrency.
Mental model
The OS saves the current execution state and restores another one, creating the illusion of simultaneous progress.
Common mistakes
- Assuming context switching is free.
- Confusing concurrency with parallelism.
Related concepts
Context Switch connects to thread, process, scheduler, multitasking, and latency.