System.Threading namespaces

The System.Threading, System.Threading.Tasks, and System.Threading.Tasks.DataFlow namespaces contain types that enable multithreaded programming and that simplify writing concurrent and asynchronous code.

This topic displays the types in the System.Threading, System.Threading.Tasks, and System.Threading.Tasks.DataFlow namespaces that are included in the .NET for Windows Store apps, or can be installed and used to create Windows Store apps. Note that the .NET for Windows Store apps does not include all the members of each type. For information about individual types, see the linked topics. The documentation for a type indicates which members are included in the .NET for Windows Store apps.

To install the System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow namespace, open your project in Visual Studio 2012 or later, choose Manage NuGet Packages from the Project menu, and search online for the Microsoft.Tpl.Dataflow package.

System.Threading namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
AbandonedMutexException	The exception that is thrown when one thread acquires a Mutex object that another thread has abandoned by exiting without releasing it.
AutoResetEvent	Notifies a waiting thread that an event has occurred. This class cannot be inherited.
Barrier	Enables multiple tasks to cooperatively work on an algorithm in parallel through multiple phases.
BarrierPostPhaseException	The exception that is thrown when the post-phase action of a Barrier fails.
CancellationToken	Propagates notification that operations should be canceled.
CancellationTokenRegistration	Represents a callback delegate that has been registered with a CancellationToken.
CancellationTokenSource	Signals to a CancellationToken that it should be canceled.
CountdownEvent	Represents a synchronization primitive that is signaled when its count reaches zero.
EventResetMode	Indicates whether an EventWaitHandle is reset automatically or manually after receiving a signal.
EventWaitHandle	Represents a thread synchronization event.
Interlocked	Provides atomic operations for variables that are shared by multiple threads.
LazyInitializer	Provides lazy initialization routines.
LazyThreadSafetyMode	Specifies how a Lazy<T> instance synchronizes access among multiple threads.
LockRecursionException	The exception that is thrown when recursive entry into a lock is not compatible with the recursion policy for the lock.
LockRecursionPolicy	Specifies whether a lock can be entered multiple times by the same thread.
ManualResetEvent	Notifies one or more waiting threads that an event has occurred. This class cannot be inherited.
ManualResetEventSlim	Provides a slimmed down version of ManualResetEvent.
Monitor	Provides a mechanism that synchronizes access to objects.
Mutex	A synchronization primitive that can also be used for interprocess synchronization.
ReaderWriterLockSlim	Represents a lock that is used to manage access to a resource, allowing multiple threads for reading or exclusive access for writing.
Semaphore	Limits the number of threads that can access a resource or pool of resources concurrently.
SemaphoreFullException	The exception that is thrown when the Release method is called on a semaphore whose count is already at the maximum.
SemaphoreSlim	A lightweight alternative to Semaphore that limits the number of threads that can access a resource or pool of resources concurrently.
SendOrPostCallback	Represents a method to be called when a message is to be dispatched to a synchronization context.
SpinLock	Provides a mutual exclusion lock primitive where a thread trying to acquire the lock waits in a loop repeatedly checking until the lock becomes available.
SpinWait	Provides support for spin-based waiting.
SynchronizationContext	Provides the basic functionality for propagating a synchronization context in various synchronization models.
SynchronizationLockException	The exception that is thrown when a method requires the caller to own the lock on a given Monitor, and the method is invoked by a caller that does not own that lock.
ThreadLocal<T>	Provides thread-local storage of data.
Timeout	Contains constants that specify infinite time-out intervals. This class cannot be inherited.
Volatile	Contains methods for performing volatile memory operations.
WaitHandle	Encapsulates operating system-specific objects that wait for exclusive access to shared resources.
WaitHandleCannotBeOpenedException	The exception that is thrown when an attempt is made to open a system mutex or semaphore that does not exist.

System.Threading.Tasks namespace

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
ConcurrentExclusiveSchedulerPair	Provides concurrent and exclusive task schedulers that coordinate to execute tasks while ensuring that concurrent tasks may run concurrently and exclusive tasks never do.
Parallel	Provides support for parallel loops and regions.
ParallelLoopResult	Provides completion status on the execution of a parallel loop.
ParallelLoopState	Enables iterations of Parallel loops to interact with other iterations. An instance of this class is provided by the Parallel class to each loop; you cannot create instances in your user code.
ParallelOptions	Stores options that configure the operation of methods on the Parallel class.
Task	Represents an asynchronous operation.
Task<TResult>	Represents an asynchronous operation that can return a value.
TaskCanceledException	Represents an exception used to communicate task cancellation.
TaskCompletionSource<TResult>	Represents the producer side of a Task<TResult> unbound to a delegate, providing access to the consumer side through the TaskCompletionSource<T>.Task property.
TaskContinuationOptions	Specifies the behavior for a task that is created by using the ContinueWith or Task<T>.ContinueWith method.
TaskCreationOptions	Specifies flags that control optional behavior for the creation and execution of tasks.
TaskExtensions	Provides a set of static (Shared in Visual Basic) methods for working with specific kinds of Task instances.
TaskFactory	Provides support for creating and scheduling Task objects.
TaskFactory<TResult>	Provides support for creating and scheduling Task<T> objects.
TaskScheduler	Represents an object that handles the low-level work of queuing tasks onto threads.
TaskSchedulerException	Represents an exception used to communicate an invalid operation by a TaskScheduler.
TaskStatus	Represents the current stage in the lifecycle of a task.
UnobservedTaskExceptionEventArgs	Provides data for the event that is raised when a faulted task's exception goes unobserved.

System.Threading.Tasks.DataFlow namespace

To install the System.Threading.Tasks.Dataflow namespace, open your project in Visual Studio 2012, choose Manage NuGet Packages from the Project menu, and search online for the Microsoft.Tpl.Dataflow package.

Types supported in the .NET for Windows Store apps	Description
ActionBlock<TInput>	Provides a dataflow block that invokes a provided Action<T> delegate for every data element received.
BatchBlock<T>	Provides a dataflow block that batches inputs into arrays.
BatchedJoinBlock<T1, T2>	Provides a dataflow block that batches a specified number of inputs of potentially differing types provided to one or more of its targets.
BatchedJoinBlock<T1, T2, T3>	Provides a dataflow block that batches a specified number of inputs of potentially differing types provided to one or more of its targets.
BroadcastBlock<T>	Provides a buffer for storing at most one element at a time, overwriting each message with the next as it arrives. Messages are broadcast to all linked targets, all of which may consume a clone of the message.
BufferBlock<T>	Provides a buffer for storing data.
DataflowBlock	Provides a set of static (Shared in Visual Basic) methods for working with dataflow blocks.
DataflowBlockOptions	Provides options used to configure the processing performed by dataflow blocks.
DataflowLinkOptions	Provides options used to configure a link between dataflow blocks.
DataflowMessageHeader	Provides a container of data attributes for passing between dataflow blocks.
DataflowMessageStatus	Represents the status of a DataflowMessageHeader when passed between dataflow blocks.
ExecutionDataflowBlockOptions	Provides options used to configure the processing performed by dataflow blocks that process each message through the invocation of a user-provided delegate. These are dataflow blocks such as ActionBlock<TInput> and TransformBlock<TInput, TOutput>.
GroupingDataflowBlockOptions	Provides options used to configure the processing performed by dataflow blocks that group together multiple messages. These are dataflow blocks such as JoinBlock<T1, T2> and BatchBlock<T>.
IDataflowBlock	Represents a dataflow block.
IPropagatorBlock<TInput, TOutput>	Represents a dataflow block that is both a target for data and a source of data.
IReceivableSourceBlock<TOutput>	Represents a dataflow block that supports receiving messages without linking.
ISourceBlock<TOutput>	Represents a dataflow block that is a source of data.
ITargetBlock<TInput>	Represents a dataflow block that is a target for data.
JoinBlock<T1, T2>	Provides a dataflow block that joins across multiple dataflow sources, which are not necessarily of the same type, waiting for one item to arrive for each type before they’re all released together as a tuple that contains one item per type.
JoinBlock<T1, T2, T3>	Provides a dataflow block that joins across multiple dataflow sources, which are not necessarily of the same type, waiting for one item to arrive for each type before they’re all released together as a tuple that contains one item per type.
TransformBlock<TInput, TOutput>	Provides a dataflow block that invokes a provided Func<T, TResult> delegate for every data element received.
TransformManyBlock<TInput, TOutput>	Provides a dataflow block that invokes a provided Func<T, TResult> delegate for every data element received.
WriteOnceBlock<T>	Provides a buffer for receiving and storing at most one element in a network of dataflow blocks.

See Also

Concepts

.NET for Windows Store apps APIs