When should I use locks instead of thread-safe structures?

When should I use locks instead of thread-safe structures?

You should use locks when you need to protect shared resources from concurrent access, especially in complex scenarios.

Can you give me an example of when locks are necessary?

Sure! If you have a shared counter that multiple threads are updating, using a lock ensures that only one thread can modify it at a time.

What about thread-safe structures? When are they preferable?

Thread-safe structures are preferable when you want to avoid the complexity of managing locks, as they handle synchronization internally.

Are there performance trade-offs between using locks and thread-safe structures?

Yes, locks can introduce overhead and potential bottlenecks, while thread-safe structures may have their own performance costs due to internal synchronization.