Kotlin Mutex: 5 Use Cases

1. Protecting Shared Data in Multi-threaded Applications

Scenario:

In a multi-threaded application, multiple threads may try to update a shared data structure, like a list or a map, simultaneously.

Use Case:

A Mutex can be used to synchronize access to the shared data structure, ensuring that only one thread can modify it at a given time.

val mutex = Mutex()
val sharedList = mutableListOf<Int>()

suspend fun addItem(item: Int) {
    mutex.withLock {
        sharedList.add(item)
    }
}

2. Implementing Rate Limiting

Scenario:

In an application that interacts with external APIs, there may be a need to limit the rate at which API calls are made to avoid hitting rate limits.

Use Case:

A Mutex can be used to control access to the API, ensuring that only a certain number of coroutines can make an API call within a given time frame.

val apiMutex = Mutex()

suspend fun makeApiCall() {
    apiMutex.withLock {
        // Make the API call
        // Wait for a certain time to respect rate limits
    }
}

3. Managing Resource Pools

Scenario:

In applications that use a pool of resources like database connections or threads, it’s essential to manage…