What is the difference between optimistic and pessimistic locking?

Can you explain the difference between optimistic and pessimistic locking?

Sure! Optimistic locking assumes that multiple transactions can complete without affecting each other, while pessimistic locking assumes conflicts will occur and locks resources to prevent them.

When would I use optimistic locking?

You'd use optimistic locking in scenarios where conflicts are rare, as it allows for better performance by not locking resources unnecessarily.

And what about pessimistic locking?

Pessimistic locking is ideal in high-contention environments where data integrity is critical, as it prevents other transactions from accessing the locked resource.

Can you give an example of each?

Certainly! An example of optimistic locking is a web application where users edit a document. Pessimistic locking might be used in a banking system where multiple users access account data.