What are unique locks and timed locks in C++?

Can you explain what unique locks are in C++?

Unique locks in C++ are a type of mutex wrapper that provides exclusive ownership of a mutex. They ensure that only one thread can own the lock at a time, which helps prevent data races.

How do timed locks differ from unique locks?

Timed locks allow a thread to attempt to acquire a lock for a specified duration. If the lock isn't available within that time, the thread can proceed without blocking indefinitely.

When should I use a unique lock instead of a regular lock?

You should use a unique lock when you need more control over the locking mechanism, such as deferred locking or timed locking, which regular locks don't provide.

Can you give an example of using a timed lock in C++?

Sure! You can use std::unique_lock with std::chrono to create a timed lock. For example, std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock(mutex, std::chrono::milliseconds(100)); attempts to lock for 100 milliseconds.