— Data type: task_t

This is a mach_port_t and used to hold the port name of a task port that represents the thread. Manipulations of the task are implemented as remote procedure calls to the task port. A task can get a port to itself with the mach_task_self system call.

The task port name is also used to identify the task's IPC space (see Port Manipulation Interface) and the task's virtual memory map (see Virtual Memory Interface).