Livelås

Livelås, also known as a deadlock, is a situation in computing where two or more processes are unable to proceed because each is waiting for the other to release a resource. Imagine two people wanting to cross a narrow bridge, but each person insists on walking in the same direction. Neither can move forward because the other is blocking their path. In a computer system, processes often require access to shared resources such as files, memory, or peripheral devices. When multiple processes need to access the same resource, a mechanism is needed to ensure orderly access. If this mechanism is not properly designed or implemented, a livelock can occur.

A livelock is distinct from a deadlock, although they are related concepts. In a deadlock, processes are blocked and remain inactive. In a livelock, processes are not blocked but are instead continuously changing their state in response to each other's actions, without making any useful progress. For example, two processes might repeatedly try to acquire a lock on a resource, fail, and then release all other locks they hold, only to try again. This cycle of attempting and failing can continue indefinitely.

Preventing livelocks often involves careful resource allocation and scheduling strategies. Techniques such as timeout mechanisms, where a process will give up waiting after a certain period, or prioritized access to resources can help break livelock cycles. Understanding the potential for livelocks is crucial for designing robust and efficient concurrent systems.