Editing Background process (section)

{{Short description|Computer process that runs behind the scenes}}
A '''background process''' is a [[Process (computing)|computer process]] that runs ''behind the scenes'' (i.e., in the background) and without user intervention.<ref name="tlt">{{cite web|url=http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modules.php?name=MContent&pageid=3|title=What is an Operating System?, Processes|accessdate=14 November 2010|publisher=The Linux Tutorial|archive-date=15 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815081900/http://www.linux-tutorial.info/modules.php?name=MContent&pageid=3|url-status=dead}}</ref> Typical tasks for these processes include logging, system monitoring, scheduling,<ref>{{cite book|url=http://www.stanford.edu/dept/itss/docs/oracle/10g/server.101/b10743/process.htm|title=Oracle Database Concepts, 10g Release 1|id=B10743-01|date=December 1993|author=Michele Cyran|publisher=Oracle Corporation|accessdate=12 November 2010|archive-date=2 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130302105539/http://www.stanford.edu/dept/itss/docs/oracle/10g/server.101/b10743/process.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> and user notification.<ref name="ios">{{cite web|url= https://gizmodo.com/5512656/how-multitasking-works-in-the-new-iphone-os-40|title=How Multitasking Works in the New iPhone OS 4.0|date=8 April 2010|author=Jesus Diaz|accessdate=14 November 2010|publisher=Gizmodo|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101102204211/http://gizmodo.com/5512656/how-multitasking-works-in-the-new-iphone-os-40|archivedate= 2 November 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>

On a [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] system, a background process is either a [[computer program]] that does not create a [[user interface]], or a [[Windows service]]. The former are started just as any other program is started, e.g., via [[Start menu]]. Windows services, on the other hand, are started by [[Service Control Manager]]. In [[Windows Vista]] and later, they [[Windows Service Hardening|are run in a separate session]].{{Citation Needed|date=April 2020}}

On a [[Unix]] or [[Unix-like]] system, a background process or job can be further identified as one whose [[process group]] ID differs from its terminal group ID (TGID). (The TGID of a process is the process ID of the process group leader that opened the terminal, which is typically the login shell. The TGID identifies the control terminal of the process group.) This type of process is unable to receive keyboard signals from its parent terminal, and typically will not send output to that terminal.<ref name="bash">{{cite book|url=https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/bashref.html#Job-Control|title=GNU Bash Reference Manual, Edition 4.1, Job Control Basics|date=23 December 2009|publisher=Free Software Foundation, Inc|accessdate=10 November 2010|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20101203065719/https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/manual/bashref.html|archivedate= 3 December 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> This more technical definition does not distinguish between whether or not the process can receive user intervention. Although background processes are typically used for purposes needing few resources, any process can be run in the background, and such a process will behave like any other process, with the exceptions given above.<ref name="tlt"/>