What are some practical use cases for semaphores in programming?

What are some practical use cases for semaphores in programming?

Semaphores are often used in concurrent programming to control access to shared resources. For example, they can manage access to a database or a file system.

Can you explain how semaphores work in a multi-threaded environment?

Sure! Semaphores maintain a count that represents the number of available resources. Threads can acquire or release the semaphore, ensuring that only a limited number of threads access the resource at the same time.

What are the differences between binary and counting semaphores?

Binary semaphores can only take values 0 or 1, acting like a mutex. Counting semaphores can take any non-negative integer value, allowing multiple threads to access a resource.

Can you give an example of a semaphore in action?

Certainly! Imagine a printer shared by multiple computers. A counting semaphore can limit access to the printer to a certain number of computers at once, preventing overload.