Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated August 2025
Definition
In the context of Java, being multithreaded refers to the ability of a program to execute multiple threads simultaneously. Threads are independent sequences of instructions that can be scheduled and executed by the operating system.
Thread: A thread is an independent sequence of instructions within a program that can be scheduled for execution by the operating system.
Concurrency: Concurrency refers to the ability to run multiple threads in overlapping time intervals, allowing tasks to progress in parallel.
Synchronization: Synchronization is the coordination mechanism used in multithreaded programs to prevent conflicts between threads accessing shared resources.