What is the difference between deadlocks and livelocks?

What is the difference between deadlocks and livelocks?

Deadlocks occur when two or more processes are unable to proceed because each is waiting for the other to release resources. Livelocks, on the other hand, happen when processes continuously change states in response to each other without making progress.

Can you give me an example of a deadlock?

Sure! Imagine two processes: Process A holds Resource 1 and needs Resource 2 to proceed, while Process B holds Resource 2 and needs Resource 1. Neither can continue, resulting in a deadlock.

What about livelocks? Can you explain that with an example?

Absolutely! In a livelock, two processes might keep changing their states in response to each other. For instance, if two people are trying to pass each other in a narrow hallway and keep stepping aside for the other, they may never actually pass each other.

How can we prevent deadlocks and livelocks?

Deadlocks can be prevented by using strategies like resource ordering or timeout mechanisms. Livelocks can be mitigated by implementing randomized backoff strategies to reduce the chances of processes continuously interfering with each other.