What is the difference between a mutex and a semaphore?

What is the difference between a mutex and a semaphore?

A mutex is a locking mechanism that allows only one thread to access a resource at a time, while a semaphore can allow multiple threads to access a resource, up to a specified limit.

Can you give me an example of when to use a mutex?

Sure! Use a mutex when you need to protect a shared resource, like a variable or a file, from being accessed by multiple threads simultaneously.

And when would I use a semaphore instead?

You would use a semaphore when you want to control access to a resource that can be used by multiple threads, like a connection pool, where you want to limit the number of concurrent connections.

Are there any performance differences between them?

Yes, mutexes can be faster for single-thread access since they are simpler, while semaphores can introduce overhead due to their counting mechanism.