std:: unique_lock

The class unique_lock is a general-purpose mutex ownership wrapper allowing deferred locking, time-constrained attempts at locking, recursive locking, transfer of lock ownership, and use with condition variables.

The class unique_lock is movable, but not copyable -- it meets the requirements of MoveConstructible and MoveAssignable but not of CopyConstructible or CopyAssignable .

The class unique_lock meets the BasicLockable requirements. If Mutex meets the Lockable requirements, unique_lock also meets the Lockable requirements (ex.: can be used in std::lock ); if Mutex meets the TimedLockable requirements, unique_lock also meets the TimedLockable requirements.

Template parameters

Nested types

Member functions

Non-member functions

Example

#include <iostream>
#include <mutex>
#include <thread>
 
struct Box
{
    explicit Box(int num) : num_things{num} {}
 
    int num_things;
    std::mutex m;
};
 
void transfer(Box& from, Box& to, int num)
{
    // don't actually take the locks yet
    std::unique_lock lock1{from.m, std::defer_lock};
    std::unique_lock lock2{to.m, std::defer_lock};
 
    // lock both unique_locks without deadlock
    std::lock(lock1, lock2);
 
    from.num_things -= num;
    to.num_things += num;
 
    // “from.m” and “to.m” mutexes unlocked in unique_lock dtors
}
 
int main()
{
    Box acc1{100};
    Box acc2{50};
 
    std::thread t1{transfer, std::ref(acc1), std::ref(acc2), 10};
    std::thread t2{transfer, std::ref(acc2), std::ref(acc1), 5};
 
    t1.join();
    t2.join();
 
    std::cout << "acc1: " << acc1.num_things << "\n"
                 "acc2: " << acc2.num_things << '\n';
}

acc1: 95
acc2: 55

Defect reports

The following behavior-changing defect reports were applied retroactively to previously published C++ standards.

See also