Producer Consumer Problem

Abstract

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• In this problem, there is a Producer collaborating with Consumer to carry out a task

Sample Codes

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#include <pthread.h>
 
pthread_cond_t cond;
pthread_mutex_t mutex;
int buffer[10];
int buffer_index = 0;
 
void producer() {
  while (1) {
    pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
 
    while (buffer_index == 10) {
      pthread_cond_wait(&cond, &mutex);
    }
 
    buffer[buffer_index++] = 1;
 
    pthread_cond_signal(&cond);
    pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
  }
}
 
void consumer() {
  while (1) {
    pthread_mutex_lock(&mutex);
 
    while (buffer_index == 0) {
      pthread_cond_wait(&cond, &mutex);
    }
 
    buffer[buffer_index--] = 0;
 
    pthread_cond_signal(&cond);
    pthread_mutex_unlock(&mutex);
  }
}
 
int main() {
  pthread_cond_init(&cond, NULL);
  pthread_mutex_init(&mutex, NULL);
 
  pthread_t producer_thread;
  pthread_t consumer_thread;
 
  pthread_create(&producer_thread, NULL, producer, NULL);
  pthread_create(&consumer_thread, NULL, consumer, NULL);
 
  pthread_join(producer_thread, NULL);
  pthread_join(consumer_thread, NULL);
 
  pthread_cond_destroy(&cond);
  pthread_mutex_destroy(&mutex);
 
  return 0;
}
 

Terminologies

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Buffer

• Temporary storage area for data

Producer

• Thread that produces data and puts it in a Buffer

Consumer

• Thread that consumes data from the Buffer