Explain multithreading and locks
Overview
This question evaluates knowledge of multithreading primitives, synchronization mechanisms (mutexes, semaphores, read–write locks), concurrency hazards, and the ability to design and implement a thread-safe bounded queue using condition variables, emphasizing both conceptual understanding and practical application.
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Aug 8, 2025, 12:00 AM
Software Engineer
Technical Screen
System Design
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Multithreading, Locks, Concurrency Hazards, and a Bounded Queue Design
Context: Technical screen for a software engineering role. You are asked to demonstrate understanding of multithreading primitives, concurrency pitfalls, and to implement a thread-safe bounded queue supporting multiple producers and consumers using condition variables.
Tasks
- Explain how multithreading works and when to use locks.
- Compare mutexes, semaphores, and read–write locks: pros/cons and appropriate use cases.
- Identify race conditions, deadlocks, livelocks, and starvation; outline concrete avoidance strategies (e.g., lock ordering, timeouts, backoff, minimizing critical sections).
- Design and implement a thread-safe bounded queue (multiple producers and consumers) using condition variables.
- Describe how you would test it for correctness and performance.
Solution
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