concurrency

Concurrency in computing refers to the execution of multiple processes within the same period. These processes can be interleaved, meaning they run in turns, or truly simultaneous if multiple processors are available. This is distinct from parallel computing, which specifically uses multiple processors to execute tasks at the same time.1

Concurrency is a fundamental concept in areas like algorithms, operating systems, and software engineering. Challenges in concurrency include deadlocks, where processes wait indefinitely for a resource, and race conditions, where the outcome depends on the unpredictable order of process execution. To ensure program integrity, synchronization techniques are employed, requiring processes to wait for each other to complete operations before proceeding.2