Understanding the Java Thread Life Cycle

Overview

In Java, multi-threading allows concurrent execution of two or more threads to maximize CPU utilization. Understanding the thread life cycle is crucial for effective multi-threading. This article will walk you through the various states of a thread and their transitions.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Threads
2. States of Thread Life Cycle

• New
• Runnable
• Blocked
• Waiting
• Timed Waiting
• Terminated

3. Thread Life Cycle Diagram

Understanding the Java Thread Life Cycle

1. Introduction to Threads

Threads are lightweight processes that enable concurrent execution within a program. Java supports multithreading through the Thread class and the Runnable interface.

2. States of Thread Life Cycle

New

• The thread is created but not yet started.

Runnable

• The thread is ready to run and waiting for CPU time.

Blocked

• The thread is waiting to acquire a lock held by another thread.

Waiting

• The thread is waiting indefinitely for another thread to perform a specific action.

Timed Waiting

• The thread is waiting for a specified period.

Terminated (Dead)

• The thread has completed its execution.