How do I use atomic variables in multithreading?

What are atomic variables and why are they important in multithreading?

Atomic variables are variables that are accessed and modified as a single, indivisible operation. They are crucial in multithreading to prevent race conditions, ensuring that threads do not interfere with each other when accessing shared data.

How do I implement atomic variables in my code?

You can implement atomic variables using libraries like std::atomic in C++ or AtomicInteger in Java. These provide methods to safely update the variable without locking.

Can you give me an example of using atomic variables in a multithreaded program?

Sure! In C++, you can use std::atomic<int> counter; and then use counter.fetch_add(1); to increment it safely across threads.

What are the limitations of using atomic variables?

Atomic variables can only be used for simple data types and operations. They do not replace the need for locks in more complex scenarios where multiple variables need to be updated together.