A reader-writer lock is a synchronization mechanism used in computer programs to control access to a shared resource such as a file or a data structure.
This locking scheme allows multiple readers to access the shared resource simultaneously, but only one writer can acquire the lock and modify the resource at a time.
The advantage of a reader-writer lock is that it can improve performance in applications with a high ratio of read to write operations. By allowing multiple readers, it reduces the time that readers have to wait for access to the resource. However, it can lead to problems if a writer is blocked indefinitely by an ongoing stream of readers.
Overall, reader-writer locks are used to balance the trade-off between concurrency and consistency when reading and writing a shared resource.
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