What are some common locking mechanisms in programming?

What are some common locking mechanisms in programming?

Common locking mechanisms include mutexes, semaphores, and read-write locks. Each serves different concurrency needs.

Can you explain how a mutex works?

A mutex, or mutual exclusion, allows only one thread to access a resource at a time, preventing race conditions.

What about semaphores? How do they differ from mutexes?

Semaphores allow multiple threads to access a limited number of resources, while mutexes restrict access to one thread only.

When should I use a read-write lock?

Use a read-write lock when you have multiple readers and few writers, as it allows concurrent reads while managing write access.