23.6. Atomic Variables

Try these first

1. 1.

   What is an atomic variable?

   Hint

   Think about what happens in a multi-threaded environment.

2. 2.

   Name one class in the java.util.concurrent.atomic package.

   Hint

   It's used to perform atomic operations on integers.

3. 3.

   What does the AtomicInteger's incrementAndGet() method do?

   • Increments the value and returns the original value
   • Increments the value and returns the new value
   • Checks if the value is zero

   Hint

   Pay attention to what the method returns.

4. 4.

   True or False: Atomic variables require explicit locking for thread safety.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Think about the primary purpose of atomic variables.

5. 5.

   Design a multithreaded application that counts how many times a particular word appears in a text file using AtomicInteger. Include error handling.

   Hint

   Consider thread safety and how to best share your counter.

6. 6.

   Explain why using an AtomicBoolean can lead to cleaner code compared to synchronized blocks for a simple stop flag.

   Hint

   Think about the implications of shared state management.