How can I handle deadlocks in Python?

How can I handle deadlocks in Python?

To handle deadlocks in Python, you can use the threading module's built-in features. One common approach is to use a timeout when trying to acquire a lock.

Can you give me an example of using a timeout with locks?

Sure! Here's a simple example:

import threading
import time

lock1 = threading.Lock()
lock2 = threading.Lock()

def thread1():
    with lock1:
        time.sleep(1)  # Simulate work
        if lock2.acquire(timeout=1):
            try:
                print('Thread 1 acquired lock2')
            finally:
                lock2.release()
        else:
            print('Thread 1 could not acquire lock2, avoiding deadlock')

threading.Thread(target=thread1).start()

What happens if I don't use a timeout?

If you don't use a timeout, your thread may wait indefinitely for the lock to be released, leading to a deadlock situation where two or more threads are waiting on each other to release locks.

Are there any other strategies to prevent deadlocks?

Yes, other strategies include using a lock hierarchy, avoiding nested locks, and using higher-level abstractions like threading.Condition or threading.Semaphore.