Thread Lifecycle and Management in Python

Explore the lifecycle of a thread in Python, including its stages from creation, through execution, to merging with the main thread. Learn about pausing and resuming thread execution and the differences between the low-level _thread module and the more advanced threading module for thread management.

A thread object goes through different stages. When created, it must be started to call the run() method, which contains the process logic. Once the task is done, the thread merges with the main thread.

During execution, a thread may pause for a set duration or until an event occurs, resuming afterward.

Python's standard library includes "_thread" and "threading" modules for thread management. The "_thread" module is a low-level API, while "threading" offers more advanced functionality.

Python The _thread Module

The _thread module (formerly thread module) has been part of Python since version 2. It is a low-level API supporting modules like threading and multiprocessing.

Python - The threading Module

The threading module provides high-level support for thread management. The Thread class represents an activity in a separate thread. You can specify the activity by passing a callable object to the constructor or overriding the run() method in a subclass.

import threading

def my_function():
    print("Thread is running")

# Creating a thread
my_thread = threading.Thread(target=my_function, name="MyThread", daemon=True)
my_thread.start()

Thread is running

threading.Thread Parameters

• target: Function to be invoked when a new thread starts. Defaults to None.
• name: Thread name, default is a unique name like "Thread-N".
• daemon: If True, the new thread runs in the background.
• args and kwargs: Optional arguments for the target function.