What is the difference between mutex and spinlock?

Can you explain the difference between a mutex and a spinlock?

Sure! A mutex is a locking mechanism that allows only one thread to access a resource at a time, while a spinlock is a type of lock that repeatedly checks if the lock is available.

When should I use a mutex instead of a spinlock?

You should use a mutex when you expect threads to be blocked for a longer time, as it puts the thread to sleep. Use a spinlock for short wait times, as it keeps checking the lock without sleeping.

What are the performance implications of using each?

Mutexes can introduce more overhead due to context switching, while spinlocks can be more efficient for short critical sections but may waste CPU cycles if held for longer.

Are there any scenarios where spinlocks are preferred?

Yes, spinlocks are preferred in scenarios where the wait time is expected to be very short, such as in low-level programming or real-time systems.