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Everything about Volatile (computer programming)

Keyword used in some programming languages to tag variables

In computer programming, a variable is said to be volatile if its value can be read or modified asynchronously by something other than the current thread of execution. The value of a volatile variable may spontaneously change for reasons such as: sharing values with other threads; sharing values with asynchronous signal handlers; accessing hardware devices via memory-mapped I/O . Support for these use cases varies considerably among the programming languages that have the volatile keyword. Volatility can have implications regarding function calling conventions and how variables are stored, accessed and cached. Wikipedia →

đź§­ Start here: a 6-step reading path

  1. Read the overview: Volatile (computer programming)A 5-minute orientation
  2. Pick up a classic book: User's guide to the personal computer version of the Biogenic Emissions Inventory System (PC-BEIS2)The most-reprinted book on the subject
  3. Go sideways: Memory barrierA closely related topic
  4. Go sideways: Double-checked lockingA closely related topic

đź“– Definitions

No dictionary entry for this exact phrase.

🗂️ The subject at a glance

  1. In C and C++
  2. In Java
  3. In C#
  4. In Fortran

🏆 Landmark papers (most cited)

📚 Books worth reading

Ranked by number of editions on Open Library, a rough measure of how lasting a book is.

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