Definitionv1DF-491
Coffman conditions
the four necessary and sufficient conditions for deadlock to occur in multi-agent systems—mutual exclusion, hold and wait, no preemption, and circular wait—which together form a diagnostic framework for identifying and preventing deadlock
Why This Is a Definition
This definition precisely identifies the 'Coffman conditions' by naming them, establishing their genus (conditions for deadlock), and specifying their differentia (four necessary and sufficient conditions). It explains their purpose as a diagnostic framework and their structural role in both identifying and preventing deadlock, making it precise enough to distinguish from other coordination failure patterns.