What are the differences between synchronized and atomic use cases?

What are the differences between synchronized and atomic use cases?

Synchronized use cases involve locking mechanisms to control access to shared resources, while atomic use cases ensure operations are completed entirely or not at all, without locks.

Can you give me an example of each?

Sure! A synchronized use case might be a multi-threaded application where threads access a shared variable, using synchronized blocks to prevent conflicts. An atomic use case could be a bank transaction where the entire operation must succeed or fail, ensuring data integrity.

When should I use synchronized over atomic?

Use synchronized when you need to control access to shared resources and prevent race conditions. Use atomic operations for simple, single-variable updates where performance is critical.

Are there performance implications for using synchronized?

Yes, synchronized can introduce overhead due to locking, which may lead to contention and reduced performance in highly concurrent applications.