Lock-Based Synchronization
Lock-based synchronization is a concurrency control mechanism used in multi-threaded or distributed systems to prevent race conditions by ensuring that only one thread or process can access a shared resource at a time. It involves acquiring a lock (or mutex) before accessing critical sections of code, and releasing it afterward to allow other threads to proceed. This approach helps maintain data consistency and avoid conflicts in concurrent environments.
Developers should learn lock-based synchronization when building applications that involve shared resources, such as databases, file systems, or in-memory data structures, in multi-threaded or distributed contexts. It is essential for scenarios like financial transactions, real-time data processing, or any system where concurrent access could lead to inconsistent states or data corruption. However, it requires careful implementation to avoid issues like deadlocks or performance bottlenecks.