What are reader-writer locks and how do they work?

What are reader-writer locks and how do they work?

Reader-writer locks are synchronization primitives that allow concurrent access to a shared resource. They differentiate between read and write operations, allowing multiple readers or a single writer to access the resource.

Why would I use a reader-writer lock instead of a regular mutex?

Using a reader-writer lock can improve performance in scenarios where reads are more frequent than writes. It allows multiple threads to read simultaneously, reducing contention.

Can you give me an example of how to implement a reader-writer lock in code?

Sure! In Python, you can use the threading module's RLock for a simple implementation. Here's a basic example... [code snippet]

What are the potential drawbacks of using reader-writer locks?

One drawback is the potential for writer starvation, where writers may be delayed indefinitely if there are always readers accessing the resource.