What are the best practices for using atomic operations in C?

What are the best practices for using atomic operations in C?

When using atomic operations in C, it's important to ensure that you use the appropriate atomic types provided by the standard library, such as stdatomic.h. Always prefer atomic operations over locks for performance, but be cautious of potential pitfalls like memory ordering.

Can you explain memory ordering in atomic operations?

Sure! Memory ordering defines how operations on atomic variables are seen by other threads. The main types are relaxed, acquire, release, and sequentially consistent. Each type provides different guarantees about visibility and ordering of operations.

What are some common mistakes to avoid?

Common mistakes include using non-atomic types in a multi-threaded context, misunderstanding memory orderings, and neglecting to handle potential data races properly. Always ensure that your atomic operations are correctly synchronized.

How do I implement atomic operations in my code?

You can implement atomic operations using functions like atomic_fetch_add or atomic_store from stdatomic.h. Make sure to include the header and use the correct atomic type for your variable.