reentrant code

noun

UK /riːˈɛntrənt kəʊd/

US /riˈɛntrənt koʊd/

Reentrant code is computer code that can be used by more than one program at the same time without getting mixed up.

The operating system uses reentrant code so many programs can share the same routine safely.

SYNONYMS

reentrant routine thread-safe code shared code reusable code

RELATED WORDS

recursion multithreading concurrency interrupt handler

OTHER MEANINGS

2. Code that can be called again while it is still running, such as during a recursive call or an interrupt.

The interrupt handler must be reentrant code because a second interrupt can arrive mid-execution.

3. A program module that keeps no writable global state, so multiple callers can use it independently.

By storing all data on the stack, the function became reentrant code.

4. Software designed so that a single copy in memory can serve several tasks at once.

Embedded systems often rely on reentrant code to save limited memory.