When should I use locks instead of atomic operations?

Can you explain when I should use locks instead of atomic operations?

Sure! Locks are generally used when you need to protect a critical section of code that involves multiple operations, while atomic operations are best for single, simple operations.

What are the performance implications of using locks?

Locks can introduce overhead due to context switching and potential contention, which can slow down your application if not managed properly.

Are there scenarios where atomic operations are not safe?

Yes, atomic operations can be unsafe in complex scenarios where multiple variables need to be updated together, as they only guarantee atomicity for individual operations.

Can you give an example of a situation where locks are preferred?

Certainly! If you have a shared data structure that requires multiple updates, using a lock ensures that no other thread can access it until the updates are complete.