How to implement Synchronization in Room Database in Kotlin
What is Synchronization?
Synchronization is the process of coordinating access to shared resources among multiple threads to maintain data integrity and consistency.
Synchronization in a Room database is crucial to ensure data consistency and thread safety. When multiple threads access and modify the database simultaneously, synchronization mechanisms are necessary to prevent data corruption and ensure atomic operations.
Consider an app that manages a list of tasks. Multiple users can add, update, or delete tasks. If two users try to update the same task simultaneously, synchronization ensures that one user’s changes are saved before the other begins, preventing data loss or corruption.
In the same way in the database, if we are trying to update a value from multiple threads, and accessing it from multiple places without synchronization it can lead to inconsistency and data corruption.
Why Synchronization is Important
- Thread Safety: Multiple threads accessing the database can lead to race conditions, where the outcome depends on the sequence or timing of threads’ execution. Synchronization ensures that only one thread can modify the database at a time.