What are advanced synchronization primitives in C++?

What are advanced synchronization primitives in C++?

Advanced synchronization primitives in C++ include mutexes, condition variables, and atomic operations, which help manage concurrent access to shared resources.

Can you explain how a mutex works?

A mutex (mutual exclusion) is a locking mechanism that prevents multiple threads from accessing a shared resource simultaneously, ensuring data integrity.

What is the difference between a mutex and a spinlock?

A mutex puts a thread to sleep if it cannot acquire the lock, while a spinlock continuously checks for the lock, consuming CPU cycles.

When should I use condition variables?

Condition variables are used when threads need to wait for certain conditions to be met before proceeding, allowing for efficient thread synchronization.

Are there any performance considerations I should be aware of?

Yes, using synchronization primitives can introduce overhead. It's important to minimize contention and choose the right primitive for your use case.