What are some examples of race conditions in programming?

What are some examples of race conditions in programming?

Race conditions occur when multiple threads or processes access shared data and try to change it at the same time. A classic example is a bank account where two transactions try to update the balance simultaneously.

Can you explain how this can lead to errors?

Sure! If both transactions read the same initial balance before either writes the new balance, one transaction might overwrite the other's update, leading to incorrect final balances.

How can developers prevent race conditions?

Developers can use synchronization techniques like locks, semaphores, or atomic operations to ensure that only one thread can access the shared resource at a time.

Are there any tools to help identify race conditions?

Yes, tools like ThreadSanitizer and Helgrind can help detect race conditions during the development process.