A thread is a single line of work that a program can do at one time. You can think of it like one person doing one task. If a program has multiple threads, it’s like having more people doing different tasks at the same time.
Most modern apps use threads to do things faster or to avoid freezing up. For example, while one thread handles user input, another can load data in the background. That way, the app feels smooth and doesn’t get stuck waiting on one thing.
Threads are a part of something bigger called “multithreading,” which just means running more than one thread at once. It sounds fancy, but the idea is simple—split the work so everything doesn’t happen in a single line, one after the other.
Managing threads isn’t always easy. If two threads try to use the same resource at the same time—like changing the same file or accessing the same data—it can cause bugs or weird behavior. That’s why developers have to be careful with how threads interact.
In short, a thread is a way for programs to multitask. It helps things run faster and smoother, but it also needs to be handled the right way.
Not every project needs threads, but when speed and responsiveness matter, they’re super useful.
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