What are mutexes and how do they relate to deadlocks?

What are mutexes and how do they relate to deadlocks?

Mutexes, or mutual exclusions, are synchronization primitives used to prevent multiple threads from accessing shared resources simultaneously. A deadlock occurs when two or more threads are blocked forever, each waiting on the other to release a mutex.

Can you give me an example of a deadlock situation?

Sure! Imagine two threads: Thread A holds Mutex 1 and needs Mutex 2 to proceed, while Thread B holds Mutex 2 and needs Mutex 1. They are stuck waiting for each other, creating a deadlock.

How can I avoid deadlocks in my code?

To avoid deadlocks, you can use strategies like acquiring all required mutexes at once, using a timeout for mutex acquisition, or implementing a hierarchy for acquiring locks.

Are there tools to detect deadlocks?

Yes, many programming environments and tools can help detect deadlocks, such as debuggers and profilers that analyze thread states and resource usage.