Dekker's algorithm

Dekker's algorithm is the first known correct solution to the mutual exclusion problem in concurrent programming.

Modern operating systems provide mutual exclusion primitives that are more general and flexible than Dekker's algorithm.

Dekker's algorithm guarantees mutual exclusion, freedom from deadlock, and freedom from starvation.

However, in the absence of actual contention between the two processes, the entry and exit from critical section is extremely efficient when Dekker's algorithm is used.

Although both problems only involve two processes, their solutions require rather complex algorithms (Dekker's algorithm, Lamport's bakery algorithm).

Dekker invented an algorithm that allows two processes to share a single-use resource without conflict, using only shared memory for communication, named Dekker's algorithm.