What are alternatives to spinlocks?

What are some alternatives to spinlocks for managing concurrency?

Some alternatives to spinlocks include mutexes, semaphores, and read-write locks. Each has its own use cases.

Can you explain how mutexes work compared to spinlocks?

Mutexes block the thread until the lock is available, while spinlocks keep checking in a loop, which can waste CPU resources.

When should I use semaphores instead of mutexes?

Use semaphores when you need to control access to a resource with a limited number of instances, unlike mutexes which allow only one.

Are there any performance considerations I should be aware of?

Yes, spinlocks can be faster in low-contention scenarios, but mutexes and semaphores are generally better for high contention.