What are mutexes and semaphores in C?

What are mutexes and semaphores in C?

Mutexes and semaphores are synchronization primitives used in C to manage access to shared resources in concurrent programming.

How do mutexes work in C?

Mutexes work by allowing only one thread to access a resource at a time. When a thread locks a mutex, other threads must wait until it's unlocked.

Can you give an example of using a semaphore?

Sure! A semaphore can be used to control access to a pool of resources. For example, if you have 3 identical printers, you can use a semaphore initialized to 3 to allow up to 3 threads to print simultaneously.

What are the differences between mutexes and semaphores?

The main difference is that a mutex is a lock that allows only one thread to access a resource, while a semaphore can allow multiple threads to access a limited number of resources.