What are the differences between mutexes and spinlocks?

What are the differences between mutexes and spinlocks?

Mutexes and spinlocks are both synchronization primitives used in concurrent programming, but they work differently. Mutexes put a thread to sleep if the lock is not available, while spinlocks keep the thread active in a loop until the lock is available.

When should I use a mutex instead of a spinlock?

You should use a mutex when you expect the lock to be held for a longer duration, as it avoids wasting CPU cycles. Spinlocks are better for short critical sections where the wait time is minimal.

Are there any performance implications of using one over the other?

Yes, using spinlocks can lead to higher CPU usage if the lock is held for a long time, while mutexes can introduce context switching overhead. The choice depends on the specific use case.

Can you give an example of when to use each?

Sure! Use a mutex for file operations where the lock might be held for a while. Use a spinlock for short, frequent updates to a shared variable.