What is the need for CPU scheduling algorithm?

CPU scheduling is the process of deciding which process will own the
CPU to use while another process is suspended. The main function of the
CPU scheduling is to ensure that whenever the CPU remains idle, the OS
has at least selected one of the processes available in the ready-to-use
line.
In Multiprogramming, if the long-term scheduler selects multiple I / O
binding processes then most of the time, the CPU remains an idle. The
function of an effective program is to improve resource utilization.
If most operating systems change their status from performance to waiting
then there may always be a chance of failure in the system. So in order to
minimize this excess, the OS needs to schedule tasks in order to make full
use of the CPU and avoid the possibility of deadlock.
Objectives of Process Scheduling Algorithm:
● Utilization of CPU at maximum level. Keep CPU as busy as
possible.
● Allocation of CPU should be fair.

● Throughput should be Maximum. i.e. Number of processes that

complete their execution per time unit should be maximized.
● Minimum turnaround time, i.e. time taken by a process to finish
execution should be the least.
● There should be a minimum waiting time and the process should
not starve in the ready queue.
● Minimum response time. It means that the time when a process
produces the first response should be as less as possible.

What are the different terminologies to take care of in any CPU

Scheduling algorithm?

● Arrival Time: Time at which the process arrives in the ready

queue.
● Completion Time: Time at which process completes its
execution.
● Burst Time: Time required by a process for CPU execution.
● Turn Around Time: Time Difference between completion time
and arrival time.
Turn Around Time = Completion Time – Arrival Time
● Waiting Time(W.T): Time Difference between turn around time
and burst time.
Waiting Time = Turn Around Time – Burst Time
Things to take care while designing a CPU Scheduling algorithm?

Different CPU Scheduling algorithms have different structures and the

choice of a particular algorithm depends on a variety of factors. Many
conditions have been raised to compare CPU scheduling algorithms.
The criteria include the following:
● CPU utilization: The main purpose of any CPU algorithm is to
keep the CPU as busy as possible. Theoretically, CPU usage can
range from 0 to 100 but in a real-time system, it varies from 40 to
90 percent depending on the system load.
● Throughput: The average CPU performance is the number of
processes performed and completed during each unit. This is
called throughput. The output may vary depending on the length or
duration of the processes.
● Turn round Time: For a particular process, the important
conditions are how long it takes to perform that process. The time
elapsed from the time of process delivery to the time of completion
is known as the conversion time. Conversion time is the amount of
time spent waiting for memory access, waiting in line, using CPU,
and waiting for I / O.
● Waiting Time: The Scheduling algorithm does not affect the time
required to complete the process once it has started performing. It
only affects the waiting time of the process i.e. the time spent in
the waiting process in the ready queue.
● Response Time: In a collaborative system, turn around time is not
the best option. The process may produce something early and
continue to computing the new results while the previous results
are released to the user. Therefore another method is the time
taken in the submission of the application process until the first
response is issued. This measure is called response time.

What are the different types of CPU Scheduling Algorithms?

There are mainly two types of scheduling methods:
● Preemptive Scheduling: Preemptive scheduling is used when a
process switches from running state to ready state or from the
waiting state to the ready state.
● Non-Preemptive Scheduling: Non-Preemptive scheduling is used
when a process terminates , or when a process switches from
running state to waiting state.

Different types of CPU Scheduling Algorithms

1. First Come First Serve:

FCFS considered to be the simplest of all operating system scheduling
algorithms. First come first serve scheduling algorithm states that the
process that requests the CPU first is allocated the CPU first and is
implemented by using FIFO queue.

Characteristics of FCFS:
● FCFS supports non-preemptive and preemptive CPU scheduling
algorithms.
● Tasks are always executed on a First-come, First-serve concept.

● FCFS is easy to implement and use.

● This algorithm is not much efficient in performance, and the wait

time is quite high.
Advantages of FCFS:
● Easy to implement

● First come, first serve method

Disadvantages of FCFS:
● FCFS suffers from Convoy effect.

● The average waiting time is much higher than the other algorithms.

● FCFS is very simple and easy to implement and hence not much
efficient.

To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please

refer to our detailed article on First come, First serve Scheduling.

2. Shortest Job First(SJF):

Shortest job first (SJF) is a scheduling process that selects the waiting
process with the smallest execution time to execute next. This scheduling
method may or may not be preemptive. Significantly reduces the average
waiting time for other processes waiting to be executed. The full form of
SJF is Shortest Job First.

Characteristics of SJF:
● Shortest Job first has the advantage of having a minimum average
waiting time among all operating system scheduling algorithms.
 ● It is associated with each task as a unit of time to complete.
● It may cause starvation if shorter processes keep coming. This
problem can be solved using the concept of ageing.

Advantages of Shortest Job first:

● As SJF reduces the average waiting time thus, it is better than the
first come first serve scheduling algorithm.
● SJF is generally used for long term scheduling

Disadvantages of SJF:
● One of the demerit SJF has is starvation.

● Many times it becomes complicated to predict the length of the

upcoming CPU request

To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please

refer to our detailed article on Shortest Job First.

3. Longest Job First(LJF):

Longest Job First(LJF) scheduling process is just opposite of shortest job

first (SJF), as the name suggests this algorithm is based upon the fact that
the process with the largest burst time is processed first. Longest Job First
is non-preemptive in nature.

Characteristics of LJF:

● Among all the processes waiting in a waiting queue, CPU is

always assigned to the process having largest burst time.
● If two processes have the same burst time then the tie is broken
using FCFS i.e. the process that arrived first is processed first.
● LJF CPU Scheduling can be of both preemptive and non-
preemptive types.

Advantages of LJF:
● No other task can schedule until the longest job or process
executes completely.
● All the jobs or processes finish at the same time approximately.
Disadvantages of LJF:
● Generally, the LJF algorithm gives a very high average waiting
time and average turn-around time for a given set of processes.
● This may lead to convoy effect.

To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please

refer to our detailed article on the Longest job first scheduling.

4. Priority Scheduling:

Preemptive Priority CPU Scheduling Algorithm is a pre-emptive method

of CPU scheduling algorithm that works based on the priority of a
process. In this algorithm, the editor sets the functions to be as important,
meaning that the most important process must be done first. In the case of
any conflict, that is, where there are more than one processor with equal
value, then the most important CPU planning algorithm works on the basis
of the FCFS (First Come First Serve) algorithm.

Characteristics of Priority Scheduling:

● Schedules tasks based on priority.

● When the higher priority work arrives while a task with less priority
is executed, the higher priority work takes the place of the less
priority one and
● The latter is suspended until the execution is complete.
● Lower is the number assigned, higher is the priority level of a
process.

Advantages of Priority Scheduling:

● The average waiting time is less than FCFS

● Less complex

Disadvantages of Priority Scheduling:

● One of the most common demerits of the Preemptive priority CPU

scheduling algorithm is the Starvation Problem. This is the
 problem in which a process has to wait for a longer amount of time
to get scheduled into the CPU. This condition is called the
starvation problem.
To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please
refer to our detailed article on Priority Preemptive Scheduling algorithm.

5. Round robin:

Round Robin is a CPU scheduling algorithm where each process is

cyclically assigned a fixed time slot. It is the preemptive version of First
come First Serve CPU Scheduling algorithm. Round Robin CPU Algorithm
generally focuses on Time Sharing technique.

Characteristics of Round robin:

● It’s simple, easy to use, and starvation-free as all processes get
the balanced CPU allocation.
● One of the most widely used methods in CPU scheduling as a
core.
● It is considered preemptive as the processes are given to the CPU
for a very limited time.

Advantages of Round robin:

● Round robin seems to be fair as every process gets an equal
share of CPU.
● The newly created process is added to the end of the ready
queue.

To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please

refer to our detailed article on the Round robin Scheduling algorithm.

6. Shortest Remaining Time First:

Shortest remaining time first is the preemptive version of the Shortest job
first which we have discussed earlier where the processor is allocated to
the job closest to completion. In SRTF the process with the smallest
amount of time remaining until completion is selected to execute.

Characteristics of Shortest remaining time first:

 ● SRTF algorithm makes the processing of the jobs faster than SJF
algorithm, given it’s overhead charges are not counted.
● The context switch is done a lot more times in SRTF than in SJF
and consumes the CPU’s valuable time for processing. This adds
up to its processing time and diminishes its advantage of fast
processing.

Advantages of SRTF:

● In SRTF the short processes are handled very fast.

● The system also requires very little overhead since it only makes a
decision when a process completes or a new process is added.

Disadvantages of SRTF:

● Like the shortest job first, it also has the potential for process
starvation.
● Long processes may be held off indefinitely if short processes are
continually added.

To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please

refer to our detailed article on the shortest remaining time first.

7. Longest Remaining Time First:

The longest remaining time first is a preemptive version of the longest

job first scheduling algorithm. This scheduling algorithm is used by the
operating system to program incoming processes for use in a systematic
way. This algorithm schedules those processes first which have the longest
processing time remaining for completion.

Characteristics of longest remaining time first:

● Among all the processes waiting in a waiting queue, the CPU is

always assigned to the process having the largest burst time.
● If two processes have the same burst time then the tie is broken
using FCFS i.e. the process that arrived first is processed first.
 ● LJF CPU Scheduling can be of both preemptive and non-
preemptive types.

Advantages of LRTF:

● No other process can execute until the longest task executes

completely.
● All the jobs or processes finish at the same time approximately.

Disadvantages of LRTF:

● This algorithm gives a very high average waiting time and average
turn-around time for a given set of processes.
● This may lead to a convoy effect.

To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please

refer to our detailed article on the longest remaining time first.

8. Highest Response Ratio Next:

Highest Response Ratio Next is a non-preemptive CPU Scheduling

algorithm and it is considered as one of the most optimal scheduling
algorithms. The name itself states that we need to find the response ratio of
all available processes and select the one with the highest Response Ratio.
A process once selected will run till completion.

Characteristics of Highest Response Ratio Next:

● The criteria for HRRN is Response Ratio, and the mode is Non-
Preemptive.
● HRRN is considered as the modification of Shortest Job First to
reduce the problem of starvation.
● In comparison with SJF, during the HRRN scheduling algorithm,
the CPU is allotted to the next process which has the highest
response ratio and not to the process having less burst time.
Response Ratio = (W + S)/S
Here, W is the waiting time of the process so far and S is the Burst time of
the process.
Advantages of HRRN:

● HRRN Scheduling algorithm generally gives better performance

than the shortest job first Scheduling.
● There is a reduction in waiting time for longer jobs and also it
encourages shorter jobs.

Disadvantages of HRRN:

● The implementation of HRRN scheduling is not possible as it is not

possible to know the burst time of every job in advance.
● In this scheduling, there may occur an overload on the CPU.

To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please

refer to our detailed article on Highest Response Ratio Next.

9. Multiple Queue Scheduling:

Processes in the ready queue can be divided into different classes where
each class has its own scheduling needs. For example, a common division
is a foreground (interactive) process and a background (batch) process.
These two classes have different scheduling needs. For this kind of
situation Multilevel Queue Scheduling is used.

The description of the processes in the above diagram is as follows:

 ● System Processes: The CPU itself has its process to run,
generally termed as System Process.
● Interactive Processes: An Interactive Process is a type of
process in which there should be the same type of interaction.
● Batch Processes: Batch processing is generally a technique in
the Operating system that collects the programs and data together
in the form of a batch before the processing starts.

Advantages of multilevel queue scheduling:

● The main merit of the multilevel queue is that it has a low

scheduling overhead.

Disadvantages of multilevel queue scheduling:

● Starvation problem
● It is inflexible in nature

To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please

refer to our detailed article on Multilevel Queue Scheduling.

10. Multilevel Feedback Queue Scheduling:

Multilevel Feedback Queue Scheduling (MLFQ) CPU Scheduling is like

Multilevel Queue Scheduling but in this process can move between the
queues. And thus, much more efficient than multilevel queue scheduling.

Characteristics of Multilevel Feedback Queue Scheduling:

● In a multilevel queue-scheduling algorithm, processes are

permanently assigned to a queue on entry to the system, and
processes are not allowed to move between queues.
● As the processes are permanently assigned to the queue, this
setup has the advantage of low scheduling overhead,
● But on the other hand disadvantage of being inflexible.

Advantages of Multilevel feedback queue scheduling:

 ● It is more flexible
● It allows different processes to move between different queues

Disadvantages of Multilevel feedback queue scheduling:

● It also produces CPU overheads

● It is the most complex algorithm.

To learn about how to implement this CPU scheduling algorithm, please

refer to our detailed article on Multilevel Feedback Queue Scheduling.