NAME¶

std::recursive_mutex - std::recursive_mutex

Synopsis¶

Defined in header <mutex>
class recursive_mutex; (since C++11)

The recursive_mutex class is a synchronization primitive that can be used to protect
shared data from being simultaneously accessed by multiple threads.

recursive_mutex offers exclusive, recursive ownership semantics:

* A calling thread owns a recursive_mutex for a period of time that starts when it
successfully calls either lock or try_lock. During this period, the thread may
make additional calls to lock or try_lock. The period of ownership ends when the
thread makes a matching number of calls to unlock.
* When a thread owns a recursive_mutex, all other threads will block (for calls to
lock) or receive a false return value (for try_lock) if they attempt to claim
ownership of the recursive_mutex.
* The maximum number of times that a recursive_mutex may be locked is unspecified,
but after that number is reached, calls to lock will throw std::system_error and
calls to try_lock will return false.

The behavior of a program is undefined if a recursive_mutex is destroyed while still
owned by some thread. The recursive_mutex class satisfies all requirements of Mutex
and StandardLayoutType.

Member types¶

Member type Definition
native_handle_type (optional*) implementation-defined

Member functions¶

constructor constructs the mutex
(public member function)
destructor destroys the mutex
(public member function)
operator= not copy-assignable
[deleted] (public member function)

Locking¶

lock locks the mutex, blocks if the mutex is not available
(public member function)
try_lock tries to lock the mutex, returns if the mutex is not available
(public member function)
unlock unlocks the mutex
(public member function)

Native handle¶

native_handle returns the underlying implementation-defined native handle object
(public member function)

Example¶

One use case for recursive_mutex is protecting shared state in a class whose member
functions may call each other.

// Run this code

#include <iostream>
#include <mutex>
#include <thread>

class X
{
std::recursive_mutex m;
std::string shared;
public:
void fun1()
{
std::lock_guard<std::recursive_mutex> lk(m);
shared = "fun1";
std::cout << "in fun1, shared variable is now " << shared << '\n';
}
void fun2()
{
std::lock_guard<std::recursive_mutex> lk(m);
shared = "fun2";
std::cout << "in fun2, shared variable is now " << shared << '\n';
fun1(); // recursive lock becomes useful here
std::cout << "back in fun2, shared variable is " << shared << '\n';
}
};

int main()
{
X x;
std::thread t1(&X::fun1, &x);
std::thread t2(&X::fun2, &x);
t1.join();
t2.join();
}

Possible output:¶

in fun1, shared variable is now fun1
in fun2, shared variable is now fun2
in fun1, shared variable is now fun1
back in fun2, shared variable is fun1

See also¶

mutex provides basic mutual exclusion facility
(C++11) (class)