In concurrent programming an algorithm is considered non-blocking if threads competing for a resource do not have their execution indefinitely postponed by mutual exclusion protecting that resource. In practice this usually manifests as an API that allows access to the resource if it is available otherwise it immediately returns informing the caller that the resource is not currently available or that the operation has been initiated and not yet completed. A non-blocking API to a resource allows the caller the option to do other work rather than be blocked waiting on the resource to become available. This may be complemented by allowing the client of the resource to register for getting notified when the resource is available or the operation has completed.