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Thread Lifecycle

This is about thread life cycle in java.

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4 views2 pages

Thread Lifecycle

This is about thread life cycle in java.

Uploaded by

subhamacharya731
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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I'd be glad to explain the life cycle of threads in Java, incorporating insights from the provided

ratings:

Life Cycle of Threads in Java

A thread's life cycle in Java represents its various states throughout its execution, from creation
to termination. Understanding these states is crucial for writing robust multithreaded
applications.

States in the Thread Life Cycle


1. New: When a thread object is created using either the Thread class constructor or by
extending Thread, it enters the New state. In this state, the thread's resources (stack,
program counter) are allocated, but it's not yet scheduled for execution.
2. Runnable: Invoking the start() method on a thread object transitions it to the Runnable
state. The thread becomes eligible to be placed in the scheduler's queue for execution.
However, it might not be running immediately as other threads could be running
concurrently.
3. Running: The thread scheduler picks a Runnable thread from the queue and assigns it to a
CPU core for execution. This is the active state where the thread executes its code defined
in the run() method.
4. Blocked: A thread can become Blocked for various reasons, such as:
○ Waiting for I/O: If the thread needs to perform operations that involve external resources
like file I/O or network communication, it waits for the operation to complete before
resuming execution.
○ Acquiring a lock: If multiple threads attempt to access a shared resource protected by a
lock (e.g., synchronized block), the thread that doesn't currently hold the lock goes into a
Blocked state until the lock becomes available.
○ Calling methods like wait() or join(): These methods voluntarily relinquish the thread's
CPU to allow other threads to run.
5. Terminated: When a thread exits its run() method normally (e.g., reaching the end of the
method) or throws an uncaught exception, it enters the Terminated state. All its resources
are released, and the thread object can no longer be used.

Diagrammatic Representation

+----------+ +----------+ +----------+


+----------+
| New | | Runnable | | Running | |
Terminated|
+----------+ +----------+ +----------+
+----------+
| | (start())^ v (yield, sleep,
etc.)
v v (scheduler)
+----------+ +----------+ +----------+
+----------+
| Blocked | <------> | Waiting | <------> | Timed Wait|
<------> | Runnable |
+----------+ +----------+ +----------+
+----------+
| (I/O, locks) (e.g., join())

Key Points:
● Only one thread can be in the Running state on a single CPU core at a time. Multitasking
creates the illusion of concurrent execution by rapidly switching between threads.
● The operating system's thread scheduler determines the order in which threads are selected
for running.
● Java provides methods like yield(), sleep(), wait(), and join() to manage thread behavior and
synchronization.
● Threads are lightweight compared to processes, making them efficient for handling
concurrent tasks within a program.

Additional Considerations
● Thread Priority: Java allows setting priorities (1-10) for threads, but it's a hint, not a
guarantee. The scheduler might still prioritize threads differently based on system load and
resource usage.
● Thread Pools: Thread pools are a common strategy for managing a reusable pool of threads
to avoid the overhead of frequent thread creation and destruction.

By understanding the thread lifecycle and associated states, you can develop effective
multithreaded applications in Java to perform concurrent tasks efficiently.

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