Difference between Multiprocessing and Multiprogramming Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025 Comments Improve Suggest changes Like Article Like Report Multiprocessing and Multiprogramming both strategies are designed to increase the efficiency of the system by managing multiple tasks but with different principles of their own. But they share the common goal which is improving resource utilization and system throughput. So, understanding which one to use in the modern computer system is necessary.What is Multiprocessing?Multiprocessing is a system that has two or more processors. In this, CPUs are added to increase the computing speed of the system. Because of Multiprocessing, many processes are executed simultaneously. This approach enhances performance by leveraging parallelism to handle more tasks at once. Multiprocessing is further classified into two categories: Symmetric Multiprocessing and Asymmetric Multiprocessing. Asymmetric multiprocessing: a specific task is allocated to a particular processor, not every processor can perform all the tasks. Typically, there are slave processors present that execute tasks based on the Master processor (who controls the system) assigning the tasks to the slave processors. Symmetric multiprocessing: all the processors have equal access to all resources and are capable of executing any task allocated to them. They share a common memory space which helps to communicate processors and data sharing between them. Advantages of Multiprocessing Efficient Resource Utilization: Multiple processors improve efficiency and reduce the bottlenecks by better utilization of resources and can share the workload. Reliability is improved: If one processor fails, then others can continue that work which makes the system more robust. Increased Throughput: This leads to higher overall performance of the system as multiple CPUs are used, so a system can process more tasks simultaneously. Disadvantages of Multiprocessing Complexity: As here multiple processors are used which makes the management or processors complex, so a sophisticated operating system and software are required to coordinate tasks. Cost: These types of systems are generally more expensive than single-processor systems. Resource Contention: There are multiple processors used which may compete for the shared resources and which causes conflicts between processors and reduced performance. Now, let's discuss multiprogramming in detailWhat is Multi-programming?Multi-programming involves more than one process running at a time on a single processor system, it increases CPU utilization by organizing jobs (code and data) so that the CPU always has one to execute and maximize resource utilization as well. The motive is to keep multiple jobs in the main memory. If one job gets occupied with Input/output, the CPU can be assigned to other jobs. This ensures that the CPU is always in use and cannot be idle.Advantages of Multiprogramming Increased CPU Utilization: The CPU idle or minimizes the idle time in multiprogramming as the CPU is busy with multiple programs or tasks to execute. Enhanced System Throughput: In a given time frame the system can handle more tasks if multiple programs are in memory. Efficient Resource Use: This helps in utilizing system resources effectively by overlapping the I/O operations with CPU processing. Disadvantages of Multiprogramming Overhead and Reduced Performance: When the programs are switching then saving and restoring the state of each program is required, which consumes the time of CPU and can impact overall performance. Also, the time required to switch between programs leads to increased latency and affects the responsiveness of the system. Management is complex: Managing multiple programs requires complex scheduling algorithms to ensure fair and efficient allocation of CPU time. It is an overhead for the operating system which impacts overall system performance. Resource Contention: This creates memory conflicts, as multiple programs run simultaneously and compete for limited memory resources. This can cause memory fragmentation and reduced performance if not managed effectively. Overcommitted Resources: If the system is overloaded with too many programs at the same time can lead to resource exhaustion, where the system has a lot of workload and is not able to handle it, resulting in degraded performance. Difference between Multiprocessing and MultiprogrammingMultiprocessingMultiprogramming The availability of more than one processor per system, that can execute several sets of instructions in parallel is known as multiprocessing.The concurrent application of more than one program in the main memory is known as multiprogramming.The number of CPUs is more than one.The number of CPUs is one.It takes less time for job processing.It takes more time to process the jobs.In this, more than one process can be executed at a time.In this, one process can be executed at a time.It is tightly coupled. Synchronization is there in multiprocessing.No Synchronization is there.The number of users can be one or more than one.The number of users is one at a time.Throughput is maximum.Throughput is less.Efficiency is maximum.Less efficient.ConclusionBoth Multiprogramming and Multiprocessing aim to improve the performance of the system, the both have different principles to work with. Multiprocessing focuses on parallel execution using multiple CPUs in a single system, while multiprogramming enhances CPU utilization and reduces CPU idle time by managing multiple programs on a single processor. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right and necessary approach based on the specific needs and constraints of a computing environment. Comment More infoAdvertise with us Next Article What is an Operating System? A adware Follow Improve Article Tags : Operating Systems Difference Between GATE CS Similar Reads Operating System Tutorial An Operating System(OS) is a software that manages and handles hardware and software resources of a computing device. 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Different 13 min read PracticeLast Minute Notes – Operating SystemsAn Operating System (OS) is a system software that manages computer hardware, software resources, and provides common services for computer programs. It acts as an interface between the user and the computer hardware.Table of Content Types of Operating System (OS): ThreadsProcessCPU Scheduling Algor 15+ min read Operating System Interview QuestionsAn operating system acts as a GUI between the user and the computer system. In other words, an OS acts as an intermediary between the user and the computer hardware, managing resources such as memory, processing power, and input/output operations. Here some examples of popular operating systems incl 15+ min read Operating Systems - GATE CSE Previous Year QuestionsThe Operating System(OS) subject has high importance in GATE CSE exam because:large number of questions nearly 10-12% of the total asked significant weightage (9-11 marks) across multiple years which can also be seen in the below given table:YearApprox. Marks from OSNumber of QuestionsDifficulty Lev 2 min read Like