Mutex uses a locking mechanism i.e. if a process wants to use a resource then it locks the resource, uses it and then release it. But on the other hand, semaphore uses a signalling mechanism where wait() and signal() methods are used to show if a process is releasing a resource or taking a resource. A mutex is an object but semaphore is an integer variable. In semaphore, we have wait() and signal() functions. But in mutex, there is no such function. A mutex object allows multiple process threads to access a single shared resource but only one at a time. On the other hand, semaphore allows multiple process threads to access the finite instance of the resource until available. In mutex, the lock can be acquired and released by the same process at a time. But the value of the semaphore variable can be modified by any process that needs some resource but only one process can change the value at a time.

一本有用的书，我从这里学习和复制

Mutex is used to protect the sensitive code and data, semaphore is used to synchronization.You also can have practical use with protect the sensitive code, but there might be a risk that release the protection by the other thread by operation V.So The main difference between bi-semaphore and mutex is the ownership.For instance by toilet , Mutex is like that one can enter the toilet and lock the door, no one else can enter until the man get out, bi-semaphore is like that one can enter the toilet and lock the door, but someone else could enter by asking the administrator to open the door, it's ridiculous.

答案可能取决于目标操作系统。例如，我所熟悉的至少一个RTOS实现允许对单个OS互斥量进行多个连续的“get”操作，只要它们都来自同一个线程上下文中。在允许另一个线程获得互斥量之前，多个get必须被相等数量的put替换。这与二进制信号量不同，对于二进制信号量，无论线程上下文如何，一次只允许一个get。

这种互斥锁背后的思想是，通过一次只允许一个上下文修改数据来保护对象。即使线程获得了互斥量，然后调用进一步修改对象的函数(并在自己的操作周围获得/放置保护互斥量)，这些操作仍然应该是安全的，因为它们都发生在单个线程下。

{
    mutexGet();  // Other threads can no longer get the mutex.

    // Make changes to the protected object.
    // ...

    objectModify();  // Also gets/puts the mutex.  Only allowed from this thread context.

    // Make more changes to the protected object.
    // ...

    mutexPut();  // Finally allows other threads to get the mutex.
}

当然，在使用此特性时，必须确保单个线程中的所有访问都是安全的!

我不确定这种方法有多普遍，或者它是否适用于我所熟悉的系统之外。有关这种互斥锁的示例，请参阅ThreadX RTOS。

互斥锁控制对单个共享资源的访问。它提供了获取()对资源的访问并在完成后释放()资源的操作。

信号量控制对共享资源池的访问。它提供Wait()操作，直到池中的一个资源可用，并提供Signal()操作，当它返回池时。

当一个信号量保护的资源数量大于1时，它被称为计数信号量。当它控制一个资源时，它被称为布尔信号量。布尔信号量相当于互斥量。

因此，信号量是比互斥量更高级别的抽象。互斥锁可以用信号量来实现，但不能用信号量来实现。

互斥锁用于“锁定机制”。每次只有一个进程可以使用共享资源

而

信号量用于“信号机制” 比如“我完成了，现在可以继续了”

互斥锁用于阻塞关键区域，而信号量用于计数。