What is optimistic concurrency in web applications?

What is optimistic concurrency in web applications?

Optimistic concurrency is a strategy used in web apps to handle data updates. It assumes that multiple transactions can complete without affecting each other, allowing for higher performance.

How does it differ from pessimistic concurrency?

Pessimistic concurrency locks the data for a transaction, preventing others from accessing it until the transaction is complete. In contrast, optimistic concurrency allows multiple transactions to proceed and checks for conflicts before committing.

Can you give an example of where I might use optimistic concurrency?

Sure! It's commonly used in collaborative applications, like document editing tools, where multiple users might edit the same document simultaneously.

What are the potential downsides of using optimistic concurrency?

The main downside is the risk of conflicts when multiple users try to update the same data. This can lead to errors that need to be handled gracefully.

How can I implement optimistic concurrency in my web app?

You can implement it by using versioning or timestamps in your database. When updating data, check if the version or timestamp matches the current one before committing the changes.