In Node.js, both fork() and spawn() are methods used to create child processes, but they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics:
spawn()
Purpose: The spawn() method is used to launch a new process with a given command. It is generally used for running long-running processes or command-line utilities[1][3].
Process Creation: It creates a new process from scratch, which does not execute any further code within your Node.js process[3].
Communication: spawn() does not establish a built-in communication channel between the parent and child processes by default. However, it can be configured to do so[6].
Data Handling: It is well-suited for tasks that involve streaming large amounts of data, such as handling input/output streams[1][2].
Use Case: Ideal for cases where you need to execute a system command or run an external application that returns a large volume of data to Node.js[4].
fork()
Purpose: The fork() method is specifically designed to spawn new Node.js processes. It is a special case of spawn() tailored for Node.js applications[1][5].
Process Creation: fork() essentially clones the Node.js process, creating a new V8 instance. This means it can execute JavaScript code in parallel to the parent process[3][4].
Communication: Unlike spawn(), fork() automatically establishes a communication channel (IPC - Inter-Process Communication) between the parent and the child process. This all...
