Synchronization Glossary

Browse 18 synchronization terms defined in plain English, from the cultural dictionary of computing.

18 Synchronization Terms

Async Lock
A synchronization primitive used in asynchronous code to ensure only one task or a limited set of tasks can enter a critical section at a time without blocking...
Barrier
A synchronization point where multiple threads or tasks must all arrive before any of them can continue past that stage. Barriers are used in parallel...
Blocking Queue
A thread-safe queue whose producers or consumers wait when the queue is full or empty, making it useful for coordinating work between concurrent workers....
Clock Synchronization
The process of keeping clocks on different systems aligned closely enough that timestamps, token validity, scheduling, and ordering assumptions continue to...
Concurrency Primitive
A low-level synchronization building block such as a mutex, semaphore, atomic value, barrier, or condition variable used to coordinate concurrent execution....
Concurrent Access
The situation in which multiple threads, tasks, users, or systems access the same resource at the same time. Concurrent access must be managed carefully when...
Concurrent Read
A read operation occurring at the same time as other reads or writes on the same resource. Concurrent reads are often safe on immutable or properly...
Counting Semaphore
A Counting Semaphore is a development concept used to shape how software is built, executed, or maintained in real systems. Developers rely on it to make code...
Deadlock Detection
A Deadlock Detection is a development concept used to shape how software is built, executed, or maintained in real systems. Developers rely on it to make code...
Double-Checked Locking
A Double-Checked Locking is a development concept used to shape how software is built, executed, or maintained in real systems. Developers rely on it to make...
Finally Block
A Finally Block is a development concept used to shape how software is built, executed, or maintained in real systems. Developers rely on it to make code...
Interlocked
An Interlocked is a development concept used to shape how software is built, executed, or maintained in real systems. Developers rely on it to make code easier...
Latch
A synchronization primitive that allows one or more threads to wait until a set of operations in other threads completes. Unlike a mutex, a latch is typically...
Lock
A synchronization primitive that enforces mutual exclusion — only one thread can hold the lock at a time, and all other threads that attempt to acquire it will...
Monitor
A synchronization construct that bundles a mutex with one or more condition variables, allowing threads to both mutually exclude each other from a critical...
Mutex
Mutual Exclusion — a synchronization primitive that ensures only one thread can access a shared resource at a time, preventing race conditions. The...
Notify
A synchronization primitive operation that signals one or more waiting threads or coroutines that a condition they are interested in has changed, typically...
Wait Group
A synchronization primitive, most associated with Go's sync.WaitGroup, that maintains an internal counter which goroutines increment before starting work and...

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