What Does Synchronize Mean In Computer Terms?

Synchronization means "harmonization." Synchronization means to be in sync or run simultaneously with each other. The process of synchronization becomes apparent in terms of relationship which is created when things occur at the same time.

The concept of synchronization is basically co-ordination with respect to time. One finds the usage of synchronization in fields as diverse as physics, computer science, multimedia, media, photography and telecommunication. Systems which work with all their parts in synchrony is said to be synchronous. The blend of an image and sound in a film is one of the many examples of synchronization. When clocks of two devices beat at the same rate, it is known as synchronization. In short, an activity which is an adjustment to cause something to occur in unison is known as synchronization.

Synchronize is a term especially used in parallel computing. It refers to instantaneous execution of the same task on multiple processes in order to derive the results faster. Synchronization is the coordination of simultaneous processes or threads to finish a task faster efficiently and effectively while reducing any unwanted race condition. The "race condition" is a fault in a system or process whereby the output is sometimes surprisingly dependent on the sequence of other events.

Here are some types of synchronization:

1. Barrier-It is a process where a thread or process has to halt at a particular point and does not move ahead until all the other threads or processes attain this barrier.
2. Lock or semaphore: It is a method of limiting access to resources which are shared in a multiprogramming operation.
3. Non-blocking synchronization: This ensures that threads vying for a shared resource do not have their execution postponed permanently by mutual exclusion.