Semaphore in Computer Science

A semaphore in computer science is a signaling mechanism used to control access to a shared resource by multiple processes or threads. It acts like a traffic light, regulating when different programs can proceed. A semaphore can have a value that indicates how many processes can access the resource simultaneously. When a process wants to use the resource, it "requests" the semaphore; if it’s available, access is granted. If not, the process must wait. This helps prevent conflicts and ensures orderly access, promoting safe and efficient multitasking in software applications.