How can I solve the producer-consumer problem?

What is the producer-consumer problem?

The producer-consumer problem is a classic synchronization problem in computing where producers generate data and consumers use it. The challenge is to ensure that producers don't overwhelm consumers and vice versa.

How can I implement a solution for this problem?

You can use various synchronization mechanisms like semaphores, mutexes, or condition variables to manage access to shared resources.

Can you give me a code example?

Sure! Here's a simple example in Python using threading and a queue:

import threading
import queue

buffer = queue.Queue(maxsize=5)

def producer():
    for i in range(10):
        buffer.put(i)
        print(f'Produced {i}')

def consumer():
    for _ in range(10):
        item = buffer.get()
        print(f'Consumed {item}')

prod_thread = threading.Thread(target=producer)
cons_thread = threading.Thread(target=consumer)

prod_thread.start()
cons_thread.start()
prod_thread.join()
cons_thread.join()

What are the common pitfalls to avoid?

Common pitfalls include deadlocks, where two processes wait indefinitely for each other, and buffer overflows, where producers add items to a full buffer.