How do I use atomic variables in C++?

How do I use atomic variables in C++?

Atomic variables in C++ are used to ensure thread safety when multiple threads access shared data. You can use the std::atomic template from the <atomic> header.

Can you give me an example of how to declare and use an atomic variable?

Sure! You can declare an atomic variable like this: std::atomic<int> counter(0);. To increment it safely, use counter.fetch_add(1);.

What happens if I don't use atomic variables in a multithreaded program?

Without atomic variables, you may encounter data races, leading to undefined behavior and inconsistent results.

Are there any performance considerations when using atomic variables?

Yes, atomic operations can be slower than non-atomic ones due to the overhead of ensuring thread safety, so use them judiciously.