Thread Methods

01What are Thread Methods?

Thread methods are built-in methods provided by the Thread class to control thread behaviour — like start() to begin a thread, sleep() to pause it temporarily, and join() to wait for another thread to finish.

02Why is it used?

These methods give you control over how and when threads run, pause, or wait for each other, which is essential for coordinating multiple threads working together correctly.

03Real-Life Example

Think of a relay race where one runner must wait (join()) for the previous runner to finish before starting their own leg. These thread methods manage this kind of coordination between multiple independent tasks.

java
thread.start();
Thread.sleep(milliseconds);
thread.join();
thread.setPriority(value);

java
public class ThreadMethodsDemo {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {
        Thread t = new Thread(() -> System.out.println("Task done"));
        t.start();
        t.join(); // main thread waits for t to finish
        System.out.println("Main thread continues");
    }
}

Task done
Main thread continues