How do I avoid false sharing and padding?

False sharing occurs when threads on different processors modify variables that reside on the same cache line, causing performance issues due to unnecessary cache coherence traffic. To avoid false sharing, it is important to ensure that frequently accessed variables by different threads are kept on different cache lines. One common technique is to add padding around shared variables to ensure they do not share the same cache line.

Padding can also be strategically used to align data structures in a way that enhances performance. By controlling the layout of data in memory, you can minimize cache misses and improve access times.