What is a thread pool and how do I implement one?

What is a thread pool and how do I implement one?

A thread pool is a collection of pre-initialized threads that can be reused for executing tasks. This helps manage resources efficiently.

Why should I use a thread pool instead of creating new threads for each task?

Using a thread pool reduces the overhead of thread creation and destruction, leading to better performance and resource management.

Can you show me a simple example of implementing a thread pool in Python?

Sure! You can use the concurrent.futures.ThreadPoolExecutor class. Here's a basic example:

from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor

def task(n):
    return n * n

with ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=5) as executor:
    results = list(executor.map(task, range(10)))
print(results)

What are the potential downsides of using a thread pool?

Some downsides include potential thread contention, where multiple threads compete for resources, and the complexity of managing thread lifecycles.