What are some alternatives to timestamp-based control in databases?

What are some alternatives to timestamp-based control in databases?

There are several alternatives to timestamp-based control, such as optimistic concurrency control, versioning, and multi-version concurrency control (MVCC). Each has its own advantages and use cases.

Can you explain optimistic concurrency control?

Optimistic concurrency control assumes that conflicts are rare. It allows transactions to proceed without locking resources, but checks for conflicts before committing.

What about multi-version concurrency control?

Multi-version concurrency control (MVCC) maintains multiple versions of data, allowing readers to access the last committed version without waiting for writers, thus improving performance.

Which method is generally preferred?

The preferred method often depends on the specific use case. MVCC is popular in systems requiring high read concurrency, while optimistic control is favored in environments with low contention.