Why one bad request can take down a whole server: processes versus threads

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A single corrupted upload can crash a server and disrupt every other user's uploads, checkouts and sessions, depending on how the server handles concurrency. The choice between processes and threads determines whether that failure stays contained. Processes each get their own isolated memory enforced by hardware, so a crash in one cannot touch another. Threads share a process's memory, which makes them cheaper to create and switch between and simpler to share data with, but also exposes them to race conditions. Those race conditions can silently lose updates under load, which is typically prevented with locks.

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ProgrammingDEV Community ·

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