GetAndSet
GetAndSet is a method often found in programming languages that allows for the atomic retrieval and modification of a value. The primary characteristic of GetAndSet is that it performs two operations, reading the current value and then setting a new value, as a single, indivisible unit. This atomicity is crucial in concurrent programming environments where multiple threads or processes might attempt to access and modify the same shared data simultaneously. By ensuring that the get and set operations occur without interruption from other threads, GetAndSet prevents race conditions.
A common use case for GetAndSet is managing counters or flags. For instance, a thread might need
The implementation of GetAndSet typically relies on underlying hardware atomic instructions provided by the processor. These
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