Examples of Using Lock Hierarchies

Occasionally, you might want to access two resources at once. Perhaps you are using one of the resources, and then discover that the other resource is needed as well. A problem exists if two threads attempt to claim both resources but lock the associated mutexes in different orders. For example, if the two threads lock mutexes 1 and 2 respectively, a deadlock occurs when each attempts to lock the other mutex. Example 4–2 shows possible deadlock scenarios.

Example 4–2 Deadlock

pthread_mutex_lock(&m1);

/* use resource 1 */


pthread_mutex_lock(&m2);


/* use resources 1 and 2 */


pthread_mutex_unlock(&m2);


pthread_mutex_unlock(&m1);

pthread_mutex_lock(&m2);

/* use resource 2 */


pthread_mutex_lock(&m1);


/* use resources 1 and 2 */


pthread_mutex_unlock(&m1);


pthread_mutex_unlock(&m2);

The best way to avoid this problem is to make sure that when threads lock multiple mutexes, the threads do so in the same order. When locks are always taken in a prescribed order, deadlock should not occur. This technique, known as lock hierarchies, orders the mutexes by logically assigning numbers to the mutexes.

Also, honor the restriction that you cannot take a mutex that is assigned n when you are holding any mutex assigned a number that is greater than n.

However, this technique cannot always be used. Sometimes, you must take the mutexes in an order other than prescribed. To prevent deadlock in such a situation, use pthread_mutex_trylock(). One thread must release its mutexes when the thread discovers that deadlock would otherwise be inevitable.

Example 4–3 Conditional Locking

In Example 4–3, thread1 locks mutexes in the prescribed order, but thread2 takes the mutexes out of order. To make certain that no deadlock occurs, thread2 has to take mutex1 very carefully. If thread2 blocks while waiting for the mutex to be released, thread2 is likely to have just entered into a deadlock with thread1.

To ensure that thread2 does not enter into a deadlock, thread2 calls pthread_mutex_trylock(), which takes the mutex if available. If the mutex is not available, thread2 returns immediately, reporting failure. At this point, thread2 must release mutex2. Thread1 can now lock mutex2, and then release both mutex1 and mutex2.