What are the benefits of compare-and-swap?

What are the benefits of using compare-and-swap in concurrent programming?

Compare-and-swap (CAS) is beneficial because it helps prevent race conditions, allowing multiple threads to operate safely.

Can you explain how it works in a simple way?

Sure! CAS checks if a variable has a specific value and, if it does, updates it to a new value atomically, ensuring thread safety.

Are there any downsides to using compare-and-swap?

Yes, one downside is that it can lead to high contention if many threads are trying to update the same variable, causing performance issues.

In what scenarios is compare-and-swap most useful?

CAS is particularly useful in lock-free data structures and algorithms, where minimizing blocking is crucial for performance.