<#import "_features.html" as f> <@f.scaffold title="@Synchronized" logline="<code>synchronized</code> done right: Don't expose your locks."> <@f.overview> <p> <code>@Synchronized</code> is a safer variant of the <code>synchronized</code> method modifier. Like <code>synchronized</code>, the annotation can be used on static and instance methods only. It operates similarly to the <code>synchronized</code> keyword, but it locks on different objects. The keyword locks on <code>this</code>, but the annotation locks on a field named <code>$lock</code>, which is private.<br /> If the field does not exist, it is created for you. If you annotate a <code>static</code> method, the annotation locks on a static field named <code>$LOCK</code> instead. </p><p> If you want, you can create these locks yourself. The <code>$lock</code> and <code>$LOCK</code> fields will of course not be generated if you already created them yourself. You can also choose to lock on another field, by specifying it as parameter to the <code>@Synchronized</code> annotation. In this usage variant, the fields will not be created automatically, and you must explicitly create them yourself, or an error will be emitted. </p><p> Locking on <code>this</code> or your own class object can have unfortunate side-effects, as other code not under your control can lock on these objects as well, which can cause race conditions and other nasty threading-related bugs. </p> </@f.overview> <@f.snippets name="Synchronized" /> <@f.confKeys> <dt> <code>lombok.synchronized.flagUsage</code> = [<code>warning</code> | <code>error</code>] (default: not set) </dt><dd> Lombok will flag any usage of <code>@Synchronized</code> as a warning or error if configured. </dd> </@f.confKeys> <@f.smallPrint> <p> If <code>$lock</code> and/or <code>$LOCK</code> are auto-generated, the fields are initialized with an empty <code>Object[]</code> array, and not just a <code>new Object()</code> as most snippets showing this pattern in action use. Lombok does this because a new object is <em>NOT</em> serializable, but 0-size array is. Therefore, using <code>@Synchronized</code> will not prevent your object from being serialized. </p><p> Having at least one <code>@Synchronized</code> method in your class means there will be a lock field, but if you later remove all such methods, there will no longer be a lock field. That means your predetermined <code>serialVersionUID</code> changes. We suggest you <em>always</em> add a <code>serialVersionUID</code> to your classes if you intend to store them long-term via java's serialization mechanism. If you do so, removing all <code>@Synchronized</code> annotations from your method will not break serialization. </p><p> If you'd like to know why a field is not automatically generated when you choose your own name for the lock object: Because otherwise making a typo in the field name will result in a <em>very</em> hard to find bug! </p> </@f.smallPrint> </@f.scaffold>