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+PRThreadState
+=============
+
+A thread's thread state is either joinable or unjoinable.
+
+
+Syntax
+------
+
+.. code::
+
+   #include <prthread.h>
+
+   typedef enum PRThreadState {
+      PR_JOINABLE_THREAD,
+      PR_UNJOINABLE_THREAD
+   } PRThreadState;
+
+
+Enumerators
+~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+``PR_UNJOINABLE_THREAD``
+   Thread termination happens implicitly when the thread returns from
+   the root function. The time of release of the resources assigned to
+   the thread cannot be determined in advance. Threads created with a
+   ``PR_UNJOINABLE_THREAD`` state cannot be used as arguments to
+   :ref:`PR_JoinThread`.
+``PR_JOINABLE_THREAD``
+   Joinable thread references remain valid after they have returned from
+   their root function until :ref:`PR_JoinThread` is called. This approach
+   facilitates management of the process' critical resources.
+
+
+Description
+-----------
+
+A thread is a critical resource and must be managed.
+
+The lifetime of a thread extends from the time it is created to the time
+it returns from its root function. What happens when it returns from its
+root function depends on the thread state passed to :ref:`PR_CreateThread`
+when the thread was created.
+
+If a thread is created as a joinable thread, it continues to exist after
+returning from its root function until another thread joins it. The join
+process permits strict synchronization of thread termination and
+therefore promotes effective resource management.
+
+If a thread is created as an unjoinable (also called detached) thread,
+it terminates and cleans up after itself after returning from its root
+function. This results in some ambiguity after the thread's root
+function has returned and before the thread has finished terminating
+itself.