Blocking I/O
Blocking I/O is a programming model where an I/O operation (e.g., reading from a file, network socket, or database) halts the execution of the calling thread until the operation completes, preventing it from performing other tasks during the wait. This synchronous approach simplifies code logic by ensuring operations proceed sequentially but can lead to inefficiencies in resource utilization, especially in high-concurrency scenarios. It is commonly contrasted with non-blocking I/O, which allows threads to continue executing while waiting for I/O operations to finish.
Developers should learn blocking I/O for scenarios where simplicity and straightforward control flow are prioritized, such as in single-threaded applications, scripts, or low-concurrency systems where I/O latency is minimal. It is useful in educational contexts to understand basic I/O handling before moving to more complex asynchronous models, and in legacy systems or libraries that rely on synchronous APIs. However, it should be avoided in high-performance servers or real-time applications where maximizing throughput and responsiveness is critical.