May 1, 2024
Updated May 12, 2025
16 minute read
An Introduction to Locks in Concurrent Programming
Locks, in the context of computer science, are synchronization primitives. This means they are mechanisms that help control access to shared resources by multiple threads or processes in a concurrent (or parallel) computing environment. At a high level, a lock ensures that only one thread can access a particular section of code or a piece of data at any given time. This prevents a chaotic free-for-all where multiple threads might try to change the same data simultaneously, leading to unpredictable and often erroneous results. The core purpose of a lock is to enforce mutual exclusion, creating order out of potential chaos.
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Reading list
We've selected 11 books
that we think will supplement your
learning. Use these to
develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a
deeper understanding of the topics covered in
Locks.
Provides a comprehensive overview of concurrent programming. It covers a wide range of topics, including locks, semaphores, and message passing. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to develop multithreaded applications.
Provides a comprehensive overview of the theory and practice of multiprocessor programming. It covers a wide range of topics, including locks, cache coherence, and memory consistency. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to develop high-performance multithreaded applications.
Provides a comprehensive overview of concurrency in Erlang and OTP. It covers a wide range of topics, including locks, processes, and message passing. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to develop scalable and reliable multithreaded applications.
Provides a comprehensive overview of real-time concepts for embedded systems. It covers a wide range of topics, including locks, scheduling, and resource management. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to develop real-time multithreaded applications.
Provides a comprehensive overview of concurrency in Java. It covers a wide range of topics, including locks, thread pools, and synchronization primitives. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to develop multithreaded applications in Java.
Comprehensive guide to concurrent programming in Java. It covers a wide range of topics, including locks, condition variables, and thread pools. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to develop high-performance multithreaded applications.
Provides a concise and easy-to-understand introduction to semaphores, which are a fundamental tool for controlling access to shared resources in multithreaded programming.
Provides a comprehensive overview of operating systems. It covers a wide range of topics, including locks, scheduling, and memory management. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to develop multithreaded applications.
Provides a comprehensive overview of multithreading in Java. It covers a wide range of topics, including locks, thread pools, and synchronization primitives. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to develop multithreaded applications in Java.
Provides a comprehensive overview of computer architecture. It covers a wide range of topics, including locks, memory consistency, and cache coherence. It valuable resource for anyone who wants to develop high-performance multithreaded applications.
This free online textbook provides a comprehensive overview of operating systems, including a chapter on concurrency and synchronization. It great resource for anyone who wants to learn more about the foundations of multithreaded programming.
For more information about how these books relate to this course, visit:
OpenCourser.com/topic/pt52kd/lock
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