In this lecture, we delve into the intricate world of semaphores within operating systems. We begin by distinguishing semaphores from spinlocks, clarifying their unique roles in concurrency control, and emphasizing the critical importance of understanding these mechanisms in computer science education. Semaphores, introduced through POSIX standards with operations like sem_wait() and sem_post(), serve as foundational tools for synchronization, enabling threads to wait for conditions or signal changes effectively.
Exploring the semantics and details of semaphore operations, we understand how semaphores manage thread execution and resource access, ensuring orderly and deadlock-free interactions in concurrent environments. Practical examples, including single and multi-thread scenarios, illustrate the application of semaphores in critical sections, highlighting their capacity to solve classic concurrency problems like the Producer/Consumer issue and the nuanced Reader/Writer locks. Through these discussions, we address common challenges such as race conditions and deadlocks, offering insights into best practices and solutions.
FA 24:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1GukdTf3hNS-4u_La-XcDPxFnQ-VcNNoq7dIUQInzrGA/edit?usp=sharing
Original slides:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/15CD-L4J8wKnpRscdXihYJPefYwEe0CXHrbxgXqene-s/edit?usp=sharing
Take a look at the associated code for this chapter on GitHub.
No additional references or resources at this time.