Deadlock can occur in a multithreaded Pthread program using mutex locks. The pthread mutex init() function initializes an unlocked mutex. Mutex locks are acquired and released using pthread mutex lock() and pthread mutex unlock(), respectively. If a thread attempts to acquire a locked mutex, the call to pthread mutex lock() blocks the thread until the owner of the mutex lock invokes pthread mutex unlock()
Two mutex locks are created in the following code example:
/* Create and initialize the mutex locks */
pthread mutex t first mutex;
pthread mutex t second mutex;
pthread mutex init(&first mutex,NULL);
pthread mutex init(&second mutex,NULL);
two threads—thread one and thread two—are created, and both these threads have access to both mutex locks. thread one and thread two run in the functions do work one() and do work two()
/* thread one runs in this function */
void *do work one(void *param)
{
pthread mutex lock(&first mutex);
pthread mutex lock(&second mutex);
/**
* Do some work
*/
pthread mutex unlock(&second mutex);
pthread mutex unlock(&first mutex);
pthread exit(0);
}
/* thread two runs in this function */
void *do work two(void *param)
{
pthread mutex lock(&second mutex);
pthread mutex lock(&first mutex);
/**
* Do some work
*/
pthread mutex unlock(&first mutex);
pthread mutex unlock(&second mutex);
pthread exit(0);
}
thread one attempts to acquire the mutex locks in the order (1) first mutex, (2) second mutex, while thread two attempts to acquire the mutex locks in the order (1) second mutex, (2) first mutex. Deadlock is possible if thread one acquires first mutex while thread two acquires second mutex.