Static Variable Thread Safety

In Java, static variables are shared among all instances of a class and can be accessed concurrently by multiple
threads. If these static variables are being modified by multiple threads, you might run into thread safety issues.
To make a static variable thread-safe, you can use various synchronization mechanisms. Here are a few
approaches:

1. **Synchronized Methods or Blocks:**

You can use the `synchronized` keyword to ensure that only one thread can access the critical section at a
time. This prevents race conditions. For example:

```java
public class MyClass {
private static int counter = 0;

public static synchronized void increment() {

counter++;
}
}
```

This ensures that only one thread can execute the `increment` method at a time.

2. **Using `Atomic` Classes:**

The `java.util.concurrent.atomic` package provides atomic variables that perform operations atomically. For
example, `AtomicInteger` can be used to ensure atomic increments:

```java
import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;

public class MyClass {

private static AtomicInteger counter = new AtomicInteger(0);

public static void increment() {

counter.incrementAndGet();
}
}
```
 The operations provided by classes in `java.util.concurrent.atomic` are designed to be atomic, and they are
often more efficient than using `synchronized` methods or blocks.

3. **Double-Checked Locking (for lazy initialization):**

If you are dealing with a static variable that needs lazy initialization, you can use the double-checked locking
idiom. However, note that this technique is more complex and should be used with caution:

```java
public class MyClass {
private static volatile MyClass instance;

private MyClass() {}

public static MyClass getInstance() {

if (instance == null) {
synchronized (MyClass.class) {
if (instance == null) {
instance = new MyClass();
}
}
}
return instance;
}
}
```

The `volatile` keyword ensures that changes to the instance variable are visible to all threads.

4. **Using Locks:**
You can use explicit locks from the `java.util.concurrent.locks` package, such as `ReentrantLock`, to control
access to the critical section.

```java
import java.util.concurrent.locks.Lock;
import java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantLock;
 public class MyClass {
private static int counter = 0;
private static Lock lock = new ReentrantLock();

public static void increment() {

lock.lock();
try {
counter++;
} finally {
lock.unlock();
}
}
}
```

Using locks gives you more fine-grained control over synchronization compared to using `synchronized`
methods or blocks.

Choose the approach that best fits your specific use case and requirements. The appropriate solution depends on
factors such as the level of contention, performance considerations, and the specific pattern of access to the
static variable.