What is a Barrier (CyclicBarrier)?

Updated Apr 28, 2026

Short answer

A synchronization aid that allows a set of threads to all wait for each other to reach a common barrier point before continuing.

Deep explanation

Mid-level concurrency focuses on coordination patterns. The goal is to move beyond simple 'locks' and use high-level abstractions provided by the language or framework (like Thread Pools) to ensure scalability.

Real-world example

A database connection pool limiting the number of simultaneous connections to 20.

Common mistakes

  • Using a heavy Mutex for a scenario where 99% of operations are Reads.

Follow-up questions

  • What is the 'Condition' variable in a lock?

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