SoFunction
Updated on 2025-03-01

Detailed explanation of Python's multi-threading usage from beginner to mastery

Multithreading is a concurrent programming technology that improves the performance and efficiency of a program by executing multiple threads simultaneously. In Python, we can use the built-in threading module to implement multi-threading programming. This article will introduce the use of multi-threads in Python, including basic concepts and techniques such as creating threads, thread synchronization, inter-thread communication, and thread pooling.

1. Create a thread

Before using multithreading, we first need to understand how to create threads. Python provides threading modules, we can create threads by inheriting the Thread class or using functions.

1.1 Sample Code

Here is a sample code showing how to create a thread:

import threading
# Inherit Thread class to create threadclass MyThread():
    def run(self):
        # Code executed by thread        print("Hello, World!")
        # Create threads using functionsdef my_function():
    # Code executed by thread    print("Hello, World!")
    # Create a thread object and start a threadthread1 = MyThread()
thread2 = (target=my_function)
()
()

In this example, we created the thread using two ways of inheriting the Thread class and using functions. For the way of inheriting the Thread class, we need to override the run() method and put the code that the thread wants to execute in the method. For the way we use functions, we need to pass the function that the thread wants to execute to the Thread object as a target parameter. Finally, start the thread by calling the start() method. It should be noted that the execution order of multithreads is uncertain, and the startup order of threads is not necessarily equal to the execution order of threads.

2. Thread synchronization

In multithreaded programming, resources may be shared between threads, so thread synchronization is required to ensure correct access to resources. Python provides a variety of thread synchronization mechanisms, such as mutexes, semaphores, and events.

2.1 Mutex

Mutex is a basic thread synchronization mechanism, which ensures that only one thread can access shared resources at the same time. The threading module in Python provides a Lock class to implement mutex locks.

2.2 Sample code

Here is a sample code that shows how to use mutexes for thread synchronization:

import threading
# Shared resourcescount = 0
# Create a mutexlock = ()
def increment():
    global count
    # Obtain the lock    ()
    try:
        # Modify shared resources        count += 1
    finally:
        # Release the lock        ()
        # Create multiple threads and startthreads = []
for _ in range(10):
    thread = (target=increment)
    (thread)
    ()
    # Wait for all threads to endfor thread in threads:
    ()
    # Print the resultsprint("Count:", count)

In this example, we use mutex to ensure that access to the shared resource count is thread-safe. In the increment() function of the thread, we first use the () method to obtain the lock, then modify the shared resource in the try-finally statement block, and finally use the () method to release the lock. It should be noted that when using a mutex lock, you must ensure that after acquiring the lock, the lock can be released no matter what happens to avoid deadlock.

2.3 Inter-thread communication

Data may be passed and shared between multiple threads. Python provides multiple mechanisms for inter-thread communication, such as queues implemented using queue module.

2.4 Sample Code

Here is a sample code that shows how to use queues for inter-thread communication:

import threading
import queue
# Create queue objectq = ()
def producer():
    for i in range(5):
        # Production data        (i)
        print("Produced:", i)
def consumer():
    while True:
        # Get data        data = ()
        if data is None:
            break
        print("Consumed:", data)
        # Create producer and consumer threadsproducer_thread = (target=producer)
consumer_thread = (target=consumer)
# Start the threadproducer_thread.start()
consumer_thread.start()
# Wait for the producer thread to endproducer_thread.join()
# Add a termination flag to the queue(None)
# Wait for the consumer thread to endconsumer_thread.join()

In this example, we use queues to implement inter-thread communication of the producer-consumer model. The producer thread adds data to the queue through the() method, and the consumer thread obtains data from the queue through the() method. To exit the consumer thread, we added a special termination flag None to the queue.

3. Thread pool

Thread pool is a mechanism for managing and reusing threads. It can avoid frequent creation and destruction of threads and improve thread utilization efficiency. The modules in Python provide the ThreadPoolExecutor class to implement thread pooling.

3.1 Sample Code

Here is a sample code showing how to use thread pools:

import 
# Define task functionsdef my_task(name):
    print("Task", name, "is running.")
    # Create a thread poolwith (max_workers=5) as executor:
    # Submit a task    for i in range(5):
        (my_task, i)

In this example, we use the ThreadPoolExecutor class to create a thread pool with a maximum number of threads of 5. By calling the() method, we can submit tasks to the thread pool for execution. It should be noted that when using thread pools, we do not need to explicitly create threads, and thread creation and management are all done by thread pools. The thread pool will automatically manage thread execution based on the number of tasks and system resources.

4. Conclusion

Through the introduction of this article, we have learned about the use of multi-threads in Python, including thread creation, thread synchronization, inter-thread communication, and thread pooling. Multithreaded programming can improve the performance and efficiency of programs, but at the same time, you also need to pay attention to thread synchronization and resource sharing. Rationally designing and using multi-threading can make our programs more efficient and reliable.

The above is the detailed explanation of Python’s multi-threading usage from getting started to mastering. For more information about Python’s multi-threading, please pay attention to my other related articles!