What is a mutex in multithreading?

What is a mutex in multithreading?

A mutex, or mutual exclusion, is a synchronization primitive used to prevent multiple threads from accessing shared resources simultaneously.

Why do we need mutexes in multithreading?

Mutexes are essential to avoid race conditions, which can lead to inconsistent data and unpredictable behavior in concurrent programs.

Can you give an example of how to use a mutex in code?

Sure! In C++, you can use std::mutex to lock a section of code. Here's a simple example:

#include <mutex>
std::mutex mtx;

void safeIncrement(int &counter) {
    mtx.lock();  // Lock the mutex
    ++counter;   // Critical section
    mtx.unlock(); // Unlock the mutex
}

What happens if a mutex is not used properly?

If a mutex is not used properly, it can lead to deadlocks, where two or more threads are waiting indefinitely for each other to release locks.