xref: /freebsd/share/man/man3/pthread.3 (revision 2008043f386721d58158e37e0d7e50df8095942d)
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31.Dd October 12, 2021
32.Dt PTHREAD 3
33.Os
34.Sh NAME
35.Nm pthread
36.Nd POSIX thread functions
37.Sh LIBRARY
38.Lb libpthread
39.Sh SYNOPSIS
40.In pthread.h
41.Sh DESCRIPTION
42POSIX threads are a set of functions that support applications with
43requirements for multiple flows of control, called
44.Em threads ,
45within a process.
46Multithreading is used to improve the performance of a
47program.
48.Pp
49The POSIX thread functions are summarized in this section in the following
50groups:
51.Pp
52.Bl -bullet -offset indent -compact
53.It
54Thread Routines
55.It
56Attribute Object Routines
57.It
58Mutex Routines
59.It
60Condition Variable Routines
61.It
62Read/Write Lock Routines
63.It
64Per-Thread Context Routines
65.It
66Cleanup Routines
67.El
68.Pp
69.Fx
70extensions to the POSIX thread functions are summarized in
71.Xr pthread_np 3 .
72.Ss Thread Routines
73.Bl -tag -width indent
74.It Xo
75.Ft int
76.Fo pthread_create
77.Fa "pthread_t *thread" "const pthread_attr_t *attr"
78.Fa "void *\*[lp]*start_routine\*[rp]\*[lp]void *\*[rp]" "void *arg"
79.Fc
80.Xc
81Creates a new thread of execution.
82.It Xo
83.Ft int
84.Fn pthread_cancel "pthread_t thread"
85.Xc
86Cancels execution of a thread.
87.It Xo
88.Ft int
89.Fn pthread_detach "pthread_t thread"
90.Xc
91Marks a thread for deletion.
92.It Xo
93.Ft int
94.Fn pthread_equal "pthread_t t1" "pthread_t t2"
95.Xc
96Compares two thread IDs.
97.It Xo
98.Ft void
99.Fn pthread_exit "void *value_ptr"
100.Xc
101Terminates the calling thread.
102.It Xo
103.Ft int
104.Fn pthread_join "pthread_t thread" "void **value_ptr"
105.Xc
106Causes the calling thread to wait for the termination of the specified thread.
107.It Xo
108.Ft int
109.Fn pthread_kill "pthread_t thread" "int sig"
110.Xc
111Delivers a signal to a specified thread.
112.It Xo
113.Ft int
114.Fn pthread_once "pthread_once_t *once_control" "void \*[lp]*init_routine\*[rp]\*[lp]void\*[rp]"
115.Xc
116Calls an initialization routine once.
117.It Xo
118.Ft pthread_t
119.Fn pthread_self void
120.Xc
121Returns the thread ID of the calling thread.
122.It Xo
123.Ft int
124.Fn pthread_setcancelstate "int state" "int *oldstate"
125.Xc
126Sets the current thread's cancelability state.
127.It Xo
128.Ft int
129.Fn pthread_setcanceltype "int type" "int *oldtype"
130.Xc
131Sets the current thread's cancelability type.
132.It Xo
133.Ft void
134.Fn pthread_testcancel void
135.Xc
136Creates a cancellation point in the calling thread.
137.It Xo
138.Ft void
139.Fn pthread_yield void
140.Xc
141Allows the scheduler to run another thread instead of the current one.
142.El
143.Ss Attribute Object Routines
144.Bl -tag -width indent
145.It Xo
146.Ft int
147.Fn pthread_attr_destroy "pthread_attr_t *attr"
148.Xc
149Destroy a thread attributes object.
150.It Xo
151.Ft int
152.Fo pthread_attr_getinheritsched
153.Fa "const pthread_attr_t *attr" "int *inheritsched"
154.Fc
155.Xc
156Get the inherit scheduling attribute from a thread attributes object.
157.It Xo
158.Ft int
159.Fo pthread_attr_getschedparam
160.Fa "const pthread_attr_t *attr" "struct sched_param *param"
161.Fc
162.Xc
163Get the scheduling parameter attribute from a thread attributes object.
164.It Xo
165.Ft int
166.Fn pthread_attr_getschedpolicy "const pthread_attr_t *attr" "int *policy"
167.Xc
168Get the scheduling policy attribute from a thread attributes object.
169.It Xo
170.Ft int
171.Fn pthread_attr_getscope "const pthread_attr_t *attr" "int *contentionscope"
172.Xc
173Get the contention scope attribute from a thread attributes object.
174.It Xo
175.Ft int
176.Fn pthread_attr_getstacksize "const pthread_attr_t *attr" "size_t *stacksize"
177.Xc
178Get the stack size attribute from a thread attributes object.
179.It Xo
180.Ft int
181.Fn pthread_attr_getstackaddr "const pthread_attr_t *attr" "void **stackaddr"
182.Xc
183Get the stack address attribute from a thread attributes object.
184.It Xo
185.Ft int
186.Fn pthread_attr_getdetachstate "const pthread_attr_t *attr" "int *detachstate"
187.Xc
188Get the detach state attribute from a thread attributes object.
189.It Xo
190.Ft int
191.Fn pthread_attr_init "pthread_attr_t *attr"
192.Xc
193Initialize a thread attributes object with default values.
194.It Xo
195.Ft int
196.Fn pthread_attr_setinheritsched "pthread_attr_t *attr" "int inheritsched"
197.Xc
198Set the inherit scheduling attribute in a thread attributes object.
199.It Xo
200.Ft int
201.Fo pthread_attr_setschedparam
202.Fa "pthread_attr_t *attr" "const struct sched_param *param"
203.Fc
204.Xc
205Set the scheduling parameter attribute in a thread attributes object.
206.It Xo
207.Ft int
208.Fn pthread_attr_setschedpolicy "pthread_attr_t *attr" "int policy"
209.Xc
210Set the scheduling policy attribute in a thread attributes object.
211.It Xo
212.Ft int
213.Fn pthread_attr_setscope "pthread_attr_t *attr" "int contentionscope"
214.Xc
215Set the contention scope attribute in a thread attributes object.
216.It Xo
217.Ft int
218.Fn pthread_attr_setstacksize "pthread_attr_t *attr" "size_t stacksize"
219.Xc
220Set the stack size attribute in a thread attributes object.
221.It Xo
222.Ft int
223.Fn pthread_attr_setstackaddr "pthread_attr_t *attr" "void *stackaddr"
224.Xc
225Set the stack address attribute in a thread attributes object.
226.It Xo
227.Ft int
228.Fn pthread_attr_setdetachstate "pthread_attr_t *attr" "int detachstate"
229.Xc
230Set the detach state in a thread attributes object.
231.El
232.Ss Mutex Routines
233.Bl -tag -width indent
234.It Xo
235.Ft int
236.Fn pthread_mutexattr_destroy "pthread_mutexattr_t *attr"
237.Xc
238Destroy a mutex attributes object.
239.It Xo
240.Ft int
241.Fn pthread_mutexattr_getprioceiling "const pthread_mutexattr_t *restrict attr" "int *restrict ceiling"
242.Xc
243Obtain priority ceiling attribute of mutex attribute object.
244.It Xo
245.Ft int
246.Fn pthread_mutexattr_getprotocol "const pthread_mutexattr_t *restrict attr" "int *restrict protocol"
247.Xc
248Obtain protocol attribute of mutex attribute object.
249.It Xo
250.Ft int
251.Fn pthread_mutexattr_gettype "const pthread_mutexattr_t *restrict attr" "int *restrict type"
252.Xc
253Obtain the mutex type attribute in the specified mutex attributes object.
254.It Xo
255.Ft int
256.Fn pthread_mutexattr_init "pthread_mutexattr_t *attr"
257.Xc
258Initialize a mutex attributes object with default values.
259.It Xo
260.Ft int
261.Fn pthread_mutexattr_setprioceiling "pthread_mutexattr_t *attr" "int ceiling"
262.Xc
263Set priority ceiling attribute of mutex attribute object.
264.It Xo
265.Ft int
266.Fn pthread_mutexattr_setprotocol "pthread_mutexattr_t *attr" "int protocol"
267.Xc
268Set protocol attribute of mutex attribute object.
269.It Xo
270.Ft int
271.Fn pthread_mutexattr_settype "pthread_mutexattr_t *attr" "int type"
272.Xc
273Set the mutex type attribute that is used when a mutex is created.
274.It Xo
275.Ft int
276.Fn pthread_mutex_destroy "pthread_mutex_t *mutex"
277.Xc
278Destroy a mutex.
279.It Xo
280.Ft int
281.Fo pthread_mutex_init
282.Fa "pthread_mutex_t *mutex" "const pthread_mutexattr_t *attr"
283.Fc
284.Xc
285Initialize a mutex with specified attributes.
286.It Xo
287.Ft int
288.Fn pthread_mutex_lock "pthread_mutex_t *mutex"
289.Xc
290Lock a mutex and block until it becomes available.
291.It Xo
292.Ft int
293.Fo pthread_mutex_timedlock
294.Fa "pthread_mutex_t *mutex" "const struct timespec *abstime"
295.Fc
296.Xc
297Lock a mutex and block until it becomes available or until the timeout expires.
298.It Xo
299.Ft int
300.Fn pthread_mutex_trylock "pthread_mutex_t *mutex"
301.Xc
302Try to lock a mutex, but do not block if the mutex is locked by another thread,
303including the current thread.
304.It Xo
305.Ft int
306.Fn pthread_mutex_unlock "pthread_mutex_t *mutex"
307.Xc
308Unlock a mutex.
309.El
310.Ss Condition Variable Routines
311.Bl -tag -width indent
312.It Xo
313.Ft int
314.Fn pthread_condattr_destroy "pthread_condattr_t *attr"
315.Xc
316Destroy a condition variable attributes object.
317.It Xo
318.Ft int
319.Fn pthread_condattr_init "pthread_condattr_t *attr"
320.Xc
321Initialize a condition variable attributes object with default values.
322.It Xo
323.Ft int
324.Fn pthread_cond_broadcast "pthread_cond_t *cond"
325.Xc
326Unblock all threads currently blocked on the specified condition variable.
327.It Xo
328.Ft int
329.Fn pthread_cond_destroy "pthread_cond_t *cond"
330.Xc
331Destroy a condition variable.
332.It Xo
333.Ft int
334.Fn pthread_cond_init "pthread_cond_t *cond" "const pthread_condattr_t *attr"
335.Xc
336Initialize a condition variable with specified attributes.
337.It Xo
338.Ft int
339.Fn pthread_cond_signal "pthread_cond_t *cond"
340.Xc
341Unblock at least one of the threads blocked on the specified condition variable.
342.It Xo
343.Ft int
344.Fo pthread_cond_timedwait
345.Fa "pthread_cond_t *cond" "pthread_mutex_t *mutex"
346.Fa "const struct timespec *abstime"
347.Fc
348.Xc
349Unlock the specified mutex, wait no longer than the specified time for
350a condition, and then relock the mutex.
351.It Xo
352.Ft int
353.Fn pthread_cond_wait "pthread_cond_t *" "pthread_mutex_t *mutex"
354.Xc
355Unlock the specified mutex, wait for a condition, and relock the mutex.
356.El
357.Ss Read/Write Lock Routines
358.Bl -tag -width indent
359.It Xo
360.Ft int
361.Fn pthread_rwlock_destroy "pthread_rwlock_t *lock"
362.Xc
363Destroy a read/write lock object.
364.It Xo
365.Ft int
366.Fo pthread_rwlock_init
367.Fa "pthread_rwlock_t *lock" "const pthread_rwlockattr_t *attr"
368.Fc
369.Xc
370Initialize a read/write lock object.
371.It Xo
372.Ft int
373.Fn pthread_rwlock_rdlock "pthread_rwlock_t *lock"
374.Xc
375Lock a read/write lock for reading, blocking until the lock can be
376acquired.
377.It Xo
378.Ft int
379.Fn pthread_rwlock_tryrdlock "pthread_rwlock_t *lock"
380.Xc
381Attempt to lock a read/write lock for reading, without blocking if the
382lock is unavailable.
383.It Xo
384.Ft int
385.Fn pthread_rwlock_trywrlock "pthread_rwlock_t *lock"
386.Xc
387Attempt to lock a read/write lock for writing, without blocking if the
388lock is unavailable.
389.It Xo
390.Ft int
391.Fn pthread_rwlock_unlock "pthread_rwlock_t *lock"
392.Xc
393Unlock a read/write lock.
394.It Xo
395.Ft int
396.Fn pthread_rwlock_wrlock "pthread_rwlock_t *lock"
397.Xc
398Lock a read/write lock for writing, blocking until the lock can be
399acquired.
400.It Xo
401.Ft int
402.Fn pthread_rwlockattr_destroy "pthread_rwlockattr_t *attr"
403.Xc
404Destroy a read/write lock attribute object.
405.It Xo
406.Ft int
407.Fo pthread_rwlockattr_getpshared
408.Fa "const pthread_rwlockattr_t *attr" "int *pshared"
409.Fc
410.Xc
411Retrieve the process shared setting for the read/write lock attribute
412object.
413.It Xo
414.Ft int
415.Fn pthread_rwlockattr_init "pthread_rwlockattr_t *attr"
416.Xc
417Initialize a read/write lock attribute object.
418.It Xo
419.Ft int
420.Fn pthread_rwlockattr_setpshared "pthread_rwlockattr_t *attr" "int pshared"
421.Xc
422Set the process shared setting for the read/write lock attribute object.
423.El
424.Ss Per-Thread Context Routines
425.Bl -tag -width indent
426.It Xo
427.Ft int
428.Fn pthread_key_create "pthread_key_t *key" "void \*[lp]*routine\*[rp]\*[lp]void *\*[rp]"
429.Xc
430Create a thread-specific data key.
431.It Xo
432.Ft int
433.Fn pthread_key_delete "pthread_key_t key"
434.Xc
435Delete a thread-specific data key.
436.It Xo
437.Ft "void *"
438.Fn pthread_getspecific "pthread_key_t key"
439.Xc
440Get the thread-specific value for the specified key.
441.It Xo
442.Ft int
443.Fn pthread_setspecific "pthread_key_t key" "const void *value_ptr"
444.Xc
445Set the thread-specific value for the specified key.
446.El
447.Ss Cleanup Routines
448.Bl -tag -width indent
449.It Xo
450.Ft int
451.Fo pthread_atfork
452.Fa "void \*[lp]*prepare\*[rp]\*[lp]void\*[rp]"
453.Fa "void \*[lp]*parent\*[rp]\*[lp]void\*[rp]"
454.Fa "void \*[lp]*child\*[rp]\*[lp]void\*[rp]"
455.Fc
456.Xc
457Register fork handlers.
458.It Xo
459.Ft void
460.Fn pthread_cleanup_pop "int execute"
461.Xc
462Remove the routine at the top of the calling thread's cancellation cleanup
463stack and optionally invoke it.
464.It Xo
465.Ft void
466.Fn pthread_cleanup_push "void \*[lp]*routine\*[rp]\*[lp]void *\*[rp]" "void *routine_arg"
467.Xc
468Push the specified cancellation cleanup handler onto the calling thread's
469cancellation stack.
470.El
471.Sh IMPLEMENTATION NOTES
472The current
473.Fx
474POSIX thread implementation is built into the
475.Lb libthr
476library.
477It contains thread-safe versions of
478.Lb libc
479functions and the thread functions.
480Threaded applications are linked with this library.
481.Sh SEE ALSO
482.Xr libthr 3 ,
483.Xr pthread_atfork 3 ,
484.Xr pthread_attr 3 ,
485.Xr pthread_cancel 3 ,
486.Xr pthread_cleanup_pop 3 ,
487.Xr pthread_cleanup_push 3 ,
488.Xr pthread_cond_broadcast 3 ,
489.Xr pthread_cond_destroy 3 ,
490.Xr pthread_cond_init 3 ,
491.Xr pthread_cond_signal 3 ,
492.Xr pthread_cond_timedwait 3 ,
493.Xr pthread_cond_wait 3 ,
494.Xr pthread_condattr_destroy 3 ,
495.Xr pthread_condattr_init 3 ,
496.Xr pthread_create 3 ,
497.Xr pthread_detach 3 ,
498.Xr pthread_equal 3 ,
499.Xr pthread_exit 3 ,
500.Xr pthread_getspecific 3 ,
501.Xr pthread_join 3 ,
502.Xr pthread_key_delete 3 ,
503.Xr pthread_kill 3 ,
504.Xr pthread_mutex_destroy 3 ,
505.Xr pthread_mutex_init 3 ,
506.Xr pthread_mutex_lock 3 ,
507.Xr pthread_mutex_trylock 3 ,
508.Xr pthread_mutex_unlock 3 ,
509.Xr pthread_mutexattr_destroy 3 ,
510.Xr pthread_mutexattr_getprioceiling 3 ,
511.Xr pthread_mutexattr_getprotocol 3 ,
512.Xr pthread_mutexattr_gettype 3 ,
513.Xr pthread_mutexattr_init 3 ,
514.Xr pthread_mutexattr_setprioceiling 3 ,
515.Xr pthread_mutexattr_setprotocol 3 ,
516.Xr pthread_mutexattr_settype 3 ,
517.Xr pthread_np 3 ,
518.Xr pthread_once 3 ,
519.Xr pthread_rwlock_destroy 3 ,
520.Xr pthread_rwlock_init 3 ,
521.Xr pthread_rwlock_rdlock 3 ,
522.Xr pthread_rwlock_unlock 3 ,
523.Xr pthread_rwlock_wrlock 3 ,
524.Xr pthread_rwlockattr_destroy 3 ,
525.Xr pthread_rwlockattr_getpshared 3 ,
526.Xr pthread_rwlockattr_init 3 ,
527.Xr pthread_rwlockattr_setpshared 3 ,
528.Xr pthread_self 3 ,
529.Xr pthread_setcancelstate 3 ,
530.Xr pthread_setcanceltype 3 ,
531.Xr pthread_setspecific 3 ,
532.Xr pthread_testcancel 3
533.Sh STANDARDS
534The functions with the
535.Nm pthread_
536prefix and not
537.Nm _np
538suffix or
539.Nm pthread_rwlock
540prefix conform to
541.St -p1003.1-96 .
542.Pp
543The functions with the
544.Nm pthread_
545prefix and
546.Nm _np
547suffix are non-portable extensions to POSIX threads.
548.Pp
549The functions with the
550.Nm pthread_rwlock
551prefix are extensions created by The Open Group as part of the
552.St -susv2 .
553