Cooperative multitasking

Cooperative multitasking is a method where multiple programs or processes share a computer's resources by voluntarily giving up control. Each program runs until it decides to pause, allowing others to run. This relies on programs being well-behaved and cooperative; if one program hangs or doesn't relinquish control, others may be blocked. This contrasts with preemptive multitasking, where the operating system forcibly switches between programs. Cooperative multitasking was common in early computers and is simpler to implement, but it requires programs to cooperate, making the system more vulnerable to issues caused by misbehaving processes.