Lockings

Lockings refers to the plural of locking and describes the devices, mechanisms, and processes used to secure access or movement of objects. It covers physical security hardware as well as software and systems that coordinate access to shared resources.

Physical lockings include padlocks, deadbolts, cam locks, and strike plates, which prevent entry or movement until a correct credential is provided. In mechanical systems, components such as locknuts, locking washers, and locking pins serve to resist loosening or disassembly under vibration or stress.

Electronic and software lockings comprise mechanisms that control access to data or hardware resources. In computing, locks such as mutexes, spinlocks, and read-write locks serialize access to shared memory or data structures, preventing race conditions. In databases, locking protocols manage concurrent transactions to preserve consistency. In hardware and embedded systems, electronic locking can enforce secure configuration or restrict operation until authentication succeeds.

History and scope: Locking devices date back to ancient security mechanisms and have evolved into integrated security systems and digital controls. The term locking is used across disciplines to denote securing action, preventing access, movement, or modification.

See also: Lock, Locking mechanism, Mutual exclusion, Security device.