###### (This is the documentation for SDL3, which is under heavy development and the API is changing! [SDL2](https://wiki.libsdl.org/SDL2/) is the current stable version!) # SDL_CreateMutex Create a new mutex. ## Header File Defined in [](https://github.com/libsdl-org/SDL/blob/main/include/SDL3/SDL_mutex.h) ## Syntax ```c SDL_Mutex* SDL_CreateMutex(void); ``` ## Return Value Returns the initialized and unlocked mutex or NULL on failure; call [SDL_GetError](SDL_GetError)() for more information. ## Remarks All newly-created mutexes begin in the _unlocked_ state. Calls to [SDL_LockMutex](SDL_LockMutex)() will not return while the mutex is locked by another thread. See [SDL_TryLockMutex](SDL_TryLockMutex)() to attempt to lock without blocking. SDL mutexes are reentrant. ## Version This function is available since SDL 3.0.0. ## Code Examples ```c SDL_Mutex *mutex; mutex = SDL_CreateMutex(); if (!mutex) { SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "Couldn't create mutex\n"); return 1; } if (SDL_TryLockMutex(mutex) == 0) { /* Do stuff while mutex is locked */ SDL_UnlockMutex(mutex); } else { SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "Couldn't lock mutex\n"); } SDL_DestroyMutex(mutex); ``` ## See Also * [SDL_DestroyMutex](SDL_DestroyMutex) * [SDL_LockMutex](SDL_LockMutex) * [SDL_TryLockMutex](SDL_TryLockMutex) * [SDL_UnlockMutex](SDL_UnlockMutex) ---- [CategoryAPI](CategoryAPI), [CategoryAPIFunction](CategoryAPIFunction), [CategoryMutex](CategoryMutex)