Deadlock Handling
Deadlock handling is a set of techniques and strategies in computer science, particularly in operating systems and concurrent programming, used to prevent, avoid, detect, and recover from deadlocks. A deadlock occurs when two or more processes are unable to proceed because each is waiting for a resource held by another, creating a circular dependency. This concept is critical for ensuring system reliability and resource efficiency in multi-process or multi-threaded environments.
Developers should learn deadlock handling when working on systems involving concurrent processes, such as operating systems, database management systems, distributed systems, or multi-threaded applications, to prevent system halts and improve robustness. It is essential in scenarios like resource allocation, transaction processing, and network communication, where improper handling can lead to performance degradation or complete failure. Mastery of this concept helps in designing fault-tolerant software and optimizing resource utilization.