What are the performance differences between volatile and synchronized in Java?

What are the performance differences between volatile and synchronized in Java?

The main difference is that 'volatile' provides visibility guarantees without locking, while 'synchronized' ensures both visibility and atomicity but can introduce overhead due to locking.

Can you explain when to use volatile instead of synchronized?

Use 'volatile' when you need to ensure visibility of changes to variables across threads without needing to lock the entire method or block. It's suitable for flags or state indicators.

What are the drawbacks of using volatile?

The main drawback is that 'volatile' does not guarantee atomicity for compound actions, so it can lead to inconsistent states if not used carefully.

Are there any scenarios where synchronized is preferred over volatile?

Yes, use 'synchronized' when you need to perform compound actions atomically, like incrementing a counter or when multiple variables need to be updated together.