---
name: "SDL_CPUPauseInstruction"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libsdl3-doc"
version: "3.2.10+ds-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/SDL_CPUPauseInstruction"
---

# SDL\_CPUPauseInstruction(3)

A macro to insert a CPU-specific "pause" instruction into the program.

## NAME

SDL\_CPUPauseInstruction - A macro to insert a CPU-specific "pause" instruction into the program.

## HEADER FILE

Defined in SDL3/SDL\_atomic.h

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include "SDL3/SDL.h"
```

**#define SDL\_CPUPauseInstruction() DoACPUPauseInACompilerAndArchitectureSpecificWay**

## DESCRIPTION

This can be useful in busy-wait loops, as it serves as a hint to the CPU as to the program's intent; some CPUs can use this to do more efficient processing. On some platforms, this doesn't do anything, so using this macro might just be a harmless no-op.

Note that if you are busy-waiting, there are often more-efficient approaches with other synchronization primitives: mutexes, semaphores, condition variables, etc.

## THREAD SAFETY

This macro is safe to use from any thread.

## AVAILABILITY

This macro is available since SDL 3.2.0.