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# Mutual Exclusion

* locks
* synchronized
* Atomic

## Which to use

* In general, if you're using Java, synchronized statements and methods are easier to program with than locks.
* And they can prevent many common pit falls that can occur when using locks.
* So, if synchronized methods or statements will work for your needs, they're a good default option.
* That said, there may be times when you need to work with locks in more complex ways, perhaps **acquiring and releasing a series of locks in a nested or hand over hand manner**, and that's not possible with a synchronized statement,
* but locks do allow more flexibility to be acquired and released in different scopes and to be acquired and released in any order.
* But with that increased flexibility, comes additional responsibility
*