What are some alternatives to mutexes in C++?

What are some alternatives to mutexes in C++?

Some alternatives to mutexes in C++ include spinlocks, reader-writer locks, and atomic operations. Each has its own use cases.

Can you explain when to use a reader-writer lock?

Reader-writer locks are useful when you have multiple threads that need to read shared data but only one that needs to write. This allows for greater concurrency.

What about using atomic operations?

Atomic operations are great for simple data types and can be more efficient than mutexes since they avoid the overhead of locking.

Are there any downsides to using spinlocks?

Yes, spinlocks can waste CPU cycles if the lock is held for a long time, as they continuously check the lock status.