What is the difference between mutex and condition variables?

What is the difference between mutex and condition variables?

Mutexes are used to protect shared resources from concurrent access, while condition variables are used for signaling between threads.

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

Sure! A mutex can be locked before accessing a shared variable and unlocked afterward to ensure thread safety.

How do condition variables work in relation to mutexes?

Condition variables work with mutexes to allow threads to wait for certain conditions to be true before proceeding.

When should I use a condition variable instead of just a mutex?

Use condition variables when you need to wait for a specific condition to be met, rather than just protecting shared data.