QA

• How do we synchronize a static method to prevent data corruption in concurrent update ?
• How will you introduce multi-tasking in your java application ?
• What is purpose of a Future ? How will you use it ?
• How will you create your own custom Thread Pool ?

Q1 What is difference between user Thread and daemon Thread?

When we create a Thread in java program, it’s known as user thread. A daemon thread runs in background and doesn’t prevent JVM from terminating. When there are no user threads running, JVM shutdown the program and quits. A child thread created from daemon thread is also a daemon thread.

Q2 What is Thread Scheduler and Time Slicing?

Thread Scheduler is the Operating System service that allocates the CPU time to the available runnable threads. Once we create and start a thread, it’s execution depends on the implementation of Thread Scheduler. Time Slicing is the process to divide the available CPU time to the available runnable threads. Allocation of CPU time to threads can be based on thread priority or the thread waiting for longer time will get more priority in getting CPU time. Thread scheduling can’t be controlled by java, so it’s always better to control it from application itself.

Q3. What is context-switching in multi-threading?

Context Switching is the process of storing and restoring of CPU state so that Thread execution can be resumed from the same point at a later point of time. Context Switching is the essential feature for multitasking operating system and support for multi-threaded environment.

Q4 Why wait(), notify() and notifyAll() methods have to be called from synchronized method or block?

When a Thread calls wait() on any Object, it must have the monitor on the Object that it will leave and goes in wait state until any other thread call notify() on this Object. Similarly when a thread calls notify() on any Object, it leaves the monitor on the Object and other waiting threads can get the monitor on the Object. Since all these methods require Thread to have the Object monitor, that can be achieved only by synchronization, they need to be called from synchronized method or block.

Q5 What is volatile keyword in Java?

hen we use volatile keyword with a variable, all the threads read it’s value directly from the memory and don’t cache it. This makes sure that the value read is the same as in the memory.