What are some examples of race conditions in C++?

What are some examples of race conditions in C++?

Race conditions occur when multiple threads access shared data simultaneously, leading to unpredictable results. One example is when two threads increment a shared counter without proper synchronization.

Can you explain how this can happen in code?

Sure! If two threads read the same variable, increment it, and write it back without locks, they might overwrite each other's changes.

What are some ways to prevent race conditions?

You can use mutexes, semaphores, or atomic operations to ensure that only one thread accesses the shared resource at a time.

Can you show me a code example of using a mutex?

Certainly! Here's a simple example:

#include <iostream>
#include <thread>
#include <mutex>

std::mutex mtx;
int counter = 0;

void increment() {
    mtx.lock();
    ++counter;
    mtx.unlock();
}

int main() {
    std::thread t1(increment);
    std::thread t2(increment);
    t1.join();
    t2.join();
    std::cout << "Counter: " << counter << std::endl;
}