Database Locking
Database locking is a concurrency control mechanism used in database management systems to prevent conflicts when multiple transactions access or modify the same data simultaneously. It ensures data integrity and consistency by restricting access to data items, typically through locks that can be shared (for reading) or exclusive (for writing). This concept is fundamental in multi-user database environments to avoid issues like lost updates, dirty reads, and other anomalies.
Developers should learn about database locking when building applications that require high concurrency and data consistency, such as e-commerce platforms, banking systems, or any multi-user software where simultaneous data access is common. It is crucial for preventing race conditions and ensuring ACID (Atomicity, Consistency, Isolation, Durability) compliance in transactions, especially in scenarios like inventory management, financial transactions, or real-time data processing.