How to Implement a Simple Thread-Safe Counter in Python: A Complete Guide — IT Interview Guide

How to Implement a Simple Thread-Safe Counter in Python: A Complete Guide

Introduction

In modern programming, the need for handling concurrency and multithreading is becoming more prominent. When multiple threads are working on a shared resource, it is important to ensure thread safety to prevent data corruption or unpredictable behavior. A common example of this is a counter variable that needs to be updated by multiple threads.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the process of implementing a simple thread-safe counter in Python. We will explore the fundamental concepts of thread safety, how threads interact with each other, and how to synchronize them effectively. We’ll also provide real-world examples of a thread-safe counter, along with various approaches to achieve synchronization.

What is Thread Safety?

Thread safety refers to the concept of ensuring that a piece of code can be executed by multiple threads simultaneously without causing any race conditions, data corruption, or inconsistencies. In simple terms, thread-safe code guarantees that shared resources or variables can be accessed and modified by multiple threads safely.