23.5.1. What is volatile?

Try these first

1. 1.

   What does the volatile keyword do in Java?

   Hint

   Think about how threads share data.

2. 2.

   Is volatile suitable for compound actions?

   Hint

   Consider what atomicity means.

3. 3.

   What does the volatile keyword ensure?

   • Atomicity of variables
   • Visibility of variables
   • Synchronization of variables

   Hint

   Consider what happens when threads access shared data.

4. 4.

   True or False: The volatile keyword can be used for compound operations.

   • True
   • False

   Hint

   Think about what atomicity implies for multi-step operations.

5. 5.

   Write a code snippet where using volatile would prevent a visibility issue among threads, but later describe why it does not solve atomicity problems.

   Hint

   Consider how threads check flags for continue or stop and what happens with counters.

6. 6.

   Critique a scenario where a developer uses volatile incorrectly to manage a bank transaction status. What could go wrong?

   Hint

   Think about what happens when multiple threads access and modify shared resources.