What is priority inversion in computing?

What is priority inversion in computing?

Priority inversion occurs when a lower-priority task holds a resource needed by a higher-priority task, causing the higher-priority task to be blocked.

Can you give me an example of priority inversion?

Sure! Imagine a high-priority task that needs a lock held by a low-priority task. If a medium-priority task preempts the low-priority task, the high-priority task gets stuck waiting.

How can priority inversion be avoided?

It can be avoided using techniques like priority inheritance, where the lower-priority task temporarily inherits the higher priority.

What are the consequences of priority inversion?

Consequences include increased latency for high-priority tasks, potential system unresponsiveness, and overall performance degradation.