Processes

A process is an isolated entity where code execution happens.

• Stack: keeps local variables.
• Heap: keeps larger structures.
• Mailbox: stores messages sent from other processes.
• Process Control Block: keeps track of the state of the process.

Functions:

Kernel.spawn/1
Kernel.spawn/3
Kernel.spawn_link/1 
Kernel.spawn_link/3
Kernel.spawn_monitor/1
Kernel.spawn_monitor/3
Kernel.self/0
Kernel.send/2

Process lifecycle is:

Process creation

spawn

function = IO.puts "Process #{inspect(self())}."

pid = spawn(function)
 Process.alive?(pid) 
false

Code execution

send

Process termination