C# Locks vs Monitors: What's the Difference?

What is the difference between locks and monitors in C#?

In C#, both locks and monitors are used for thread synchronization, but they have some differences. A lock is a simpler way to ensure that only one thread can access a resource at a time, while a monitor provides more control, allowing threads to wait and signal each other.

Can you explain how to use a lock in C#?

Sure! You can use the lock statement in C# to create a critical section. Here's a simple example:

private readonly object _lockObject = new object();

public void MyMethod() {
    lock (_lockObject) {
        // Code that needs to be synchronized goes here.
    }
}

What about using monitors? How does that work?

Monitors in C# are used with the Monitor class. You can use Monitor.Enter to acquire a lock and Monitor.Exit to release it. Additionally, you can use Monitor.Wait and Monitor.Pulse for signaling between threads. Here's a basic example:

private readonly object _monitorObject = new object();

public void MyMonitorMethod() {
    Monitor.Enter(_monitorObject);
    try {
        // Critical section code
    } finally {
        Monitor.Exit(_monitorObject);
    }
}