What are some examples of mutex and semaphore in programming?

What are some examples of mutex and semaphore in programming?

Mutexes and semaphores are synchronization primitives used in concurrent programming. A mutex allows only one thread to access a resource at a time, while a semaphore can allow multiple threads to access a limited number of resources.

Can you give me a specific example of how a mutex works?

Sure! Imagine a scenario where multiple threads are trying to write to a shared file. A mutex can be used to lock the file while one thread is writing, preventing others from accessing it until the lock is released.

What about semaphores? How do they differ from mutexes?

Semaphores maintain a count of available resources. For example, if you have a pool of 3 database connections, a semaphore can allow up to 3 threads to access the connections simultaneously, while mutexes would only allow one.

Are there any potential issues with using mutexes and semaphores?

Yes, common issues include deadlocks, where two or more threads are waiting indefinitely for each other to release resources, and priority inversion, where lower-priority threads hold resources needed by higher-priority threads.