What are the causes of livelocks?

What are livelocks and how do they occur?

Livelocks are a situation in concurrent computing where processes continuously change states in response to each other without making progress. They occur when two or more processes are trying to avoid a deadlock but end up in a cycle of continuous state changes.

What causes livelocks to happen?

Livelocks can be caused by improper handling of resource allocation, where processes keep yielding to each other, or by algorithms that do not ensure progress under contention.

Can you give an example of a livelock?

Sure! Imagine two people trying to pass each other in a narrow hallway. If both step to the left to let the other pass, they end up blocking each other, resulting in a livelock.

How can livelocks be prevented?

Livelocks can be prevented by implementing proper resource management strategies, using timeouts, or employing algorithms that ensure progress even under contention.