When should I use optimistic locking?

What is optimistic locking and when should I use it?

Optimistic locking is a concurrency control method that assumes multiple transactions can complete without affecting each other. You should use it when conflicts are rare, and you want to avoid locking resources.

Can you give me an example of when optimistic locking is beneficial?

Sure! It's beneficial in scenarios like collaborative editing, where multiple users might update a document. Instead of locking the document, optimistic locking allows users to make changes and only checks for conflicts when saving.

What are the downsides of using optimistic locking?

The main downside is that if conflicts do occur, users may need to retry their operations, which can lead to frustration. It's also not suitable for high-conflict environments.

How does optimistic locking compare to pessimistic locking?

Optimistic locking allows more concurrency by not locking resources until necessary, while pessimistic locking locks resources upfront, which can lead to reduced performance in low-conflict scenarios.