What are mutexes and semaphores?

Can you explain what mutexes and semaphores are?

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

How do mutexes work?

A mutex, or mutual exclusion, allows only one thread to access a resource at a time, preventing race conditions.

What about semaphores? How are they different?

Semaphores can allow multiple threads to access a resource up to a certain limit, using a counter to manage access.

When should I use a mutex instead of a semaphore?

Use a mutex when you need exclusive access to a resource, and a semaphore when you want to control access for multiple threads.