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Optimistic Concurrency Control vs Pessimistic Concurrency Control

Developers should use OCC in high-read, low-conflict environments like web applications or distributed systems where performance is critical and locking overhead is undesirable meets developers should use pessimistic concurrency control in high-conflict environments, such as financial systems or inventory management, where data integrity is critical and concurrent updates could lead to errors. Here's our take.

🧊Nice Pick

Optimistic Concurrency Control

Developers should use OCC in high-read, low-conflict environments like web applications or distributed systems where performance is critical and locking overhead is undesirable

Optimistic Concurrency Control

Nice Pick

Developers should use OCC in high-read, low-conflict environments like web applications or distributed systems where performance is critical and locking overhead is undesirable

Pros

  • +It's particularly useful for scenarios with infrequent data collisions, such as collaborative editing or e-commerce inventory management, as it reduces blocking and improves throughput compared to pessimistic locking
  • +Related to: database-transactions, concurrency-control

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Pessimistic Concurrency Control

Developers should use Pessimistic Concurrency Control in high-conflict environments, such as financial systems or inventory management, where data integrity is critical and concurrent updates could lead to errors

Pros

  • +It is ideal for scenarios with long-running transactions or when strict consistency is required, as it prevents race conditions by serializing access to resources
  • +Related to: optimistic-concurrency-control, database-transactions

Cons

  • -Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

Use Optimistic Concurrency Control if: You want it's particularly useful for scenarios with infrequent data collisions, such as collaborative editing or e-commerce inventory management, as it reduces blocking and improves throughput compared to pessimistic locking and can live with specific tradeoffs depend on your use case.

Use Pessimistic Concurrency Control if: You prioritize it is ideal for scenarios with long-running transactions or when strict consistency is required, as it prevents race conditions by serializing access to resources over what Optimistic Concurrency Control offers.

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The Bottom Line
Optimistic Concurrency Control wins

Developers should use OCC in high-read, low-conflict environments like web applications or distributed systems where performance is critical and locking overhead is undesirable

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