AI engineering glossary · Computing foundations
What is deadlock?
Deadlock: A situation in which two or more tasks each hold something the other needs and wait forever for it, so none can proceed. It is avoided by acquiring locks in a consistent order or using timeouts.
Deadlock: an example
Thread A holds lock 1 and waits for lock 2, while thread B holds lock 2 and waits for lock 1, so both hang.
Related terms
More Computing foundations terms
- Decimal number system
- Device driver
- DHCP
- Digital certificate
- Directory
- DNS record
- Domain name
- Domain Name System
Where you learn it
Deadlock is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.