Editing Scheduling (computing) (section)

{{Short description|Method by which work is assigned}}
{{About|scheduling of computing resources|networks|Network scheduler|other uses|Scheduling (disambiguation)}}

In [[computing]], '''scheduling''' is the action of assigning [[System resource|resources]] to perform [[task (computing)|tasks]]. The resources may be [[central processing unit|processors]], [[telecommunications link|network links]] or [[expansion card]]s. The tasks may be [[thread (computer science)|threads]], [[process (computing)|processes]] or data [[Traffic flow (computer networking)|flows]].

The scheduling activity is carried out by a mechanism called a '''scheduler'''. Schedulers are often designed so as to keep all computer resources busy (as in [[load balancing (computing)|load balancing]]), allow multiple users to share system resources effectively, or to achieve a target [[quality-of-service]].

Scheduling is fundamental to computation itself, and an intrinsic part of the [[execution model]] of a computer system; the concept of scheduling makes it possible to have [[computer multitasking]] with a single [[central processing unit]] (CPU).