Lock-based Synchronization

Lock-based synchronization is a method used in programming to control access to shared resources, like data or files, ensuring only one process or thread can modify them at a time. Think of a lock as a physical key: when a thread wants to work on a shared resource, it must acquire the lock first. If another thread already has the lock, the second must wait until it’s released. This prevents conflicts and data corruption, maintaining consistency and correctness in concurrent operations. Once done, the thread releases the lock, allowing others to access the resource safely.