Understanding Python's Global Interpreter Lock (GIL)

The Python Global Interpreter Lock or GIL, in simple words, is a mutex (or a lock) that allows only one thread to hold the control of the Python interpreter.

This means that only one thread can be in a state of execution at any point in time. The impact of the GIL isn’t visible to developers who execute single-threaded programs, but it can be a performance bottleneck in CPU-bound and multi-threaded code.

Since the GIL allows only one thread to execute at a time even in a multi-threaded architecture with more than one CPU core, the GIL has gained a reputation as an “infamous” feature of Python.

In this video course you’ll learn how the GIL affects the performance of your Python programs, and how you can mitigate the impact it might have on your code.

What’s Included:

• 8 Lessons
• Video Subtitles and Full Transcripts
• 2 Downloadable Resources
• Accompanying Text-Based Tutorial
• Q&A With Python Experts: Ask a Question
• Certificate of Completion

Downloadable Resources:

• Course Slides (.pdf)
• Sample Code (.zip)

Related Learning Paths:

• Python Concurrency & Parallel Programming