Process Creation: exec and exit Issues

Both the exec(2) and exit(2) system calls work as these functions do in single-threaded processes with the following exception. In a multithreaded application, the functions destroy all the threads in the address space. Both calls block until all the execution resources, and so all active threads, are destroyed.

When exec() rebuilds the process, exec() creates a single lightweight process (LWP). The process startup code builds the initial thread. As usual, if the initial thread returns, the thread calls exit() and the process is destroyed.

When all the threads in a process exit, the process exits. A call to any exec() function from a process with more than one thread terminates all threads, and loads and executes the new executable image. No destructor functions are called.