> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://boxlang.ortusbooks.com/boxlang-language/reference/components/async/thread.md).

# Thread

The thread component enables multithreaded programming in BoxLang.

## Component Signature

```
<bx:Thread name=[string]
action=[string]
duration=[integer]
priority=[string]
timeout=[integer]
virtual=[boolean] />
```

### Attributes

| Atrribute  | Type      | Required | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                             | Default  |
| ---------- | --------- | -------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------- |
| `name`     | `string`  | `false`  | The name of the thread.                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |          |
| `action`   | `string`  | `false`  | The action to perform. The default value is "run". The following are the possible values: "join", "run", "sleep", "terminate".                                                                                                          | `run`    |
| `duration` | `integer` | `false`  | The number of milliseconds to pause the thread. This attribute is required if the action attribute is set to "sleep".                                                                                                                   | `0`      |
| `priority` | `string`  | `false`  | The priority of the thread. The default value is "normal". The following are the possible values: "high", "low", "normal".                                                                                                              | `normal` |
| `timeout`  | `integer` | `false`  | <p>The number of milliseconds to wait for the thread to finish. If the thread does not finish within the specified time, the thread<br>is terminated. If the timeout attribute is not specified, the thread runs until it finishes.</p> |          |
| `virtual`  | `boolean` | `false`  | If true, the thread will be a [virtual thread](https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/21/core/virtual-threads.html). Default is false.                                                                                                  | `false`  |

## Examples

### Script Syntax

```java
// do single thread stuff
bx:thread action="run" name="myThread";
bx:thread action="join" name="myThread,myOtherThread";

```

### Tag Syntax

```java
<bx:thread action="run" name="myThread">
 <!--- Do single thread stuff ---> 
 </bx:thread> 
 <bx:thread action="join" name="myThread,myOtherThread"/>
```


---

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