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Java - Scheduling Threads with Examples

Java is a multi-threaded programming language which means we can develop multi-threaded program using Java. A multi-threaded program contains two or more parts that can run concurrently and each part can handle a different task at the same time making optimal use of the available resources specially when your computer has multiple CPUs.

By definition, multitasking is when multiple processes share common processing resources such as a CPU. Multi-threading extends the idea of multitasking into applications where you can subdivide specific operations within a single application into individual threads. Each of the threads can run in parallel. The OS divides processing time not only among different applications, but also among each thread within an application.

Multi-threading enables you to write in a way where multiple activities can proceed concurrently in the same program.

Java provides a java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService interface which is a subinterface of ExecutorService interface, and supports future and/or periodic execution of tasks/threads. Following are few important and useful methods this interface.

ScheduledExecutorService Methods

Sr.No.	Method & Description
1	<V> ScheduledFuture<V> schedule(Callable<V> callable, long delay, TimeUnit unit) Creates and executes a ScheduledFuture that becomes enabled after the given delay.
2	ScheduledFuture<?> schedule(Runnable command, long delay, TimeUnit unit) Creates and executes a one-shot action that becomes enabled after the given delay.
3	ScheduledFuture<?> scheduleAtFixedRate(Runnable command, long initialDelay, long period, TimeUnit unit) Creates and executes a periodic action that becomes enabled first after the given initial delay, and subsequently with the given period; that is executions will commence after initialDelay then initialDelay+period, then initialDelay + 2 * period, and so on.
4	ScheduledFuture<?> scheduleWithFixedDelay(Runnable command, long initialDelay, long delay, TimeUnit unit) Creates and executes a periodic action that becomes enabled first after the given initial delay, and subsequently with the given delay between the termination of one execution and the commencement of the next.

Example 1

The following TestThread program shows usage of ScheduledExecutorService interface in thread based environment to schedule a task to run after 2 seconds at interval of 2 seconds in time period of 10 seconds showcasing usage of scheduleAtFixedRate() and schedule() methods.

package com.tutorialspoint;

import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledFuture;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

public class TestThread {

   public static void main(final String[] arguments) throws InterruptedException {
      final ScheduledExecutorService scheduler = Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(1);

      final ScheduledFuture<?> beepHandler = 
         scheduler.scheduleAtFixedRate(new BeepTask(), 2, 2, TimeUnit.SECONDS);

      scheduler.schedule(new Runnable() {

         @Override
         public void run() {
            beepHandler.cancel(true);
            scheduler.shutdown();			
         }
      }, 10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
   }

   static class BeepTask implements Runnable {
      
      public void run() {
         System.out.println("beep");      
      }
   }
}

Output

beep
beep
beep
beep
beep

Example 2

package com.tutorialspoint;

import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledFuture;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

public class TestThread {

   public static void main(final String[] arguments) throws InterruptedException {
      final ScheduledExecutorService scheduler = Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(1);

      final ScheduledFuture<?> beepHandler = 
         scheduler.scheduleAtFixedDelay(new BeepTask(), 2, 2, TimeUnit.SECONDS);

      scheduler.schedule(new Runnable() {

         @Override
         public void run() {
            beepHandler.cancel(true);
            scheduler.shutdown();			
         }
      }, 10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
   }

   static class BeepTask implements Runnable {
      
      public void run() {
         System.out.println("beep");      
      }
   }
}

Output

beep
beep
beep
beep

Example 3

The following TestThread program shows usage of ScheduledExecutorService interface in thread based environment to schedule a task to run once after 2 seconds in time period of 10 seconds showcasing usage of schedule() method.

package com.tutorialspoint;

import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledFuture;
import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;

public class TestThread {

   public static void main(final String[] arguments) throws InterruptedException {
      final ScheduledExecutorService scheduler = Executors.newScheduledThreadPool(1);

      final ScheduledFuture<?> beepHandler = 
         scheduler.schedule(new BeepTask(), 2, TimeUnit.SECONDS);

      scheduler.schedule(new Runnable() {

         @Override
         public void run() {
            beepHandler.cancel(true);
            scheduler.shutdown();			
         }
      }, 10, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
   }

   static class BeepTask implements Runnable {
      
      public void run() {
         System.out.println("beep");      
      }
   }
}

Output

beep