Overview of processing techniques

Systems process work in different patterns depending on urgency and volume: immediately, in scheduled batches, or continuously in real time.

• Batch processing: transactions collected and processed together later (payroll, monthly statements) — efficient, not immediate.
• Real-time processing: input processed instantly and output affects what happens next (air traffic control, game physics).
• Online/transaction processing: each transaction handled as it arrives (ATM withdrawals, ticket bookings).
• Multitasking, multithreading and multiprocessing let one system make progress on many jobs.
• Choice depends on how quickly results are needed and the cost of delay.

• Batch vs real-time — delayed bulk processing vs immediate response.
• Multithreading — one program doing several things concurrently.