Is there an advantage to use a Synchronized Method instead of a Synchronized Block?

Question

Can any one tell me the advantage of synchronized method over synchronized block with an example?

Answer 1

The only real difference is that a synchronized block can choose which object it synchronizes on. A synchronized method can only use 'this' (or the corresponding Class instance for a synchronized class method). For example, these are semantically equivalent:

synchronized void foo() {
  ...
}

void foo() {
    synchronized (this) {
      ...
    }
}

The latter is more flexible since it can compete for the associated lock of any object, often a member variable. It's also more granular because you could have concurrent code executing before and after the block but still within the method. Of course, you could just as easily use a synchronized method by refactoring the concurrent code into separate non-synchronized methods. Use whichever makes the code more comprehensible.