Creating a std::jthread

To create a std::jthread, we can simply instantiate the class with a callable object that represents the function to be executed as a separate thread:

#include <iostream>
#include <thread>

void myThreadFunction() {
    std::cout << "Hello from the thread!" << std::endl;
}

int main() {
    std::jthread myThread(myThreadFunction);
    
    // Waits for the thread to complete its execution
    myThread.join();
    
    return 0;
}

In the code above, we define a simple function myThreadFunction that will be executed by the std::jthread object. We then create a std::jthread instance myThread by passing the function as an argument.

Upon executing the join() function, the main thread waits for myThread to complete its execution before proceeding further. This ensures that the program doesn’t terminate before the thread finishes its work.

Key features of std::jthread

The std::jthread class provides several useful features compared to std::thread. Some of the key features include:

• Automatic join on destruction: If you forget to call join() explicitly, the std::jthread object will automatically join the thread on destruction. This helps prevent resource leaks and makes the code more robust.

• Interruption support: std::jthread supports thread interruption through the request_stop() member function, allowing you to gracefully stop the thread’s execution.

• Move semantics: Like std::thread, std::jthread supports move semantics, allowing you to transfer ownership of the thread to another std::jthread object.

Conclusion

The introduction of std::jthread in C++20 provides a more user-friendly and safer way to manage threads compared to the lower-level std::thread class. It combines the benefits of automatic joining on destruction, interruption support, and move semantics. By using std::jthread, you can write more robust and efficient multithreaded code in C++20.

#C++ #Multithreading