Why are semaphores important in concurrency?

Can you explain why semaphores are important in concurrency?

Semaphores are crucial in concurrency as they help manage access to shared resources, preventing race conditions.

How do semaphores differ from mutexes?

Semaphores allow multiple threads to access a resource up to a limit, while mutexes provide exclusive access to one thread.

Can you give an example of how a semaphore works?

Sure! Imagine a parking lot with 3 spaces. A semaphore with a count of 3 allows up to 3 cars to park simultaneously.

What happens if a thread tries to access a resource when the semaphore count is zero?

If the semaphore count is zero, the thread will be blocked until another thread releases the semaphore, increasing the count.