processesnumworkers

processesnumworkers is a configuration parameter used in software systems that employ multiprocessing to handle workload. It specifies the number of independent operating system processes designated as workers to perform tasks, as opposed to a single monolithic process. The parameter is commonly found in server frameworks, task queues, or distributed workers that run parallel tasks.

How it works: A manager process or supervisor starts the specified number of worker processes at startup or on demand. Each worker typically runs an event loop or worker function and pulls tasks from a shared queue. The manager monitors worker health and restarts failed workers. Communication is usually via inter-process communication channels, such as pipes or sockets. This model isolates tasks and exploits multi-core CPUs, reducing the impact of failures.

Tuning: The optimal value depends on workload and hardware. CPU-bound tasks often benefit from a number of workers around the number of CPU cores, while I/O-bound tasks may benefit from more workers. Start with a conservative default (for example, 1-2 per core) and adjust based on benchmarks. Be mindful of memory usage, as each worker maintains its own memory footprint. In containerized environments, ensure total memory limits accommodate all workers and consider auto-scaling.

Trade-offs and considerations: More workers means more memory and context-switch overhead. IPC can become a bottleneck. When using shared resources, ensure proper synchronization and avoid race conditions. Some systems support dynamic resizing of the worker pool to respond to workload changes.

See also: multiprocessing, worker pool, process-based concurrency.