Fork() in C

Welcome! I'm a resource to help beginner C programmers visualize the system call fork()
through code snippets, animations, and explanations.

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How to Use this Resource

One of the toughest parts of tracing the output of a given code snippet that contains fork() calls is being able to draw an accurate diagram to represent the program. This website has a variety of code snippets and corresponding animations with detailed labels to help beginners learn how to visualize fork() calls in C. These examples progressively get more difficult, incorporating conditonal fork() calls, simultaneous forking, sleep() calls, and waitpid() calls. Here's how I reccomend getting started:

1. Read about fork()

To get started, refresh your memory on fork()'s function declaration and its purpose:

About fork()

2. Try it yourself

Next, browse through our examples and try to trace the output for each code snippet.

3. Press play

Lastly, check your answer and watch the corresponding animation to see how the given code can be represented through a diagram.