intermediateLocking — Optimistic vs Pessimistic

How does SELECT FOR UPDATE SKIP LOCKED work for queue processing?

SKIP LOCKED: when attempting to lock rows, if a row is already locked by another transaction, SKIP it instead of blocking. Ideal for job queue pattern: multiple workers run simultaneously, each with: SELECT * FROM jobs WHERE status='PENDING' LIMIT 1 FOR UPDATE SKIP LOCKED. Each worker gets a different (unlocked) row. No blocking between workers. Workers process their claimed jobs, then UPDATE stat

Ready to master this question?

Generate a complete walkthrough — background, the full answer in plain language, a working code example explained line by line, a real-world scenario, common mistakes, and how this same question gets asked in different ways.

Sign in to generate a response

Next Step

Continue to An e-commerce site has a flash sale — 1000 users trying to buy the last item simultaneously. Which locking strategy do you use?← Back to all SQL questions