- File:
-
- 1 edited
-
doc/papers/concurrency/Paper.tex (modified) (84 diffs)
Legend:
- Unmodified
- Added
- Removed
-
doc/papers/concurrency/Paper.tex
r27125d0 r9b4483a0 99 99 \newcommand{\CRT}{\global\columnposn=\gcolumnposn} 100 100 101 % Denote newterms in particular font and index them without particular font and in lowercase, \eg\newterm{abc}.102 % The option parameter provides an index term different from the new term, \eg\newterm[\texttt{abc}]{abc}101 % Denote newterms in particular font and index them without particular font and in lowercase, e.g., \newterm{abc}. 102 % The option parameter provides an index term different from the new term, e.g., \newterm[\texttt{abc}]{abc} 103 103 % The star version does not lowercase the index information, e.g., \newterm*{IBM}. 104 104 \newcommand{\newtermFontInline}{\emph} … … 235 235 {\lstset{language=python,moredelim=**[is][\protect\color{red}]{`}{`},#1}\lstset{#1}} 236 236 {} 237 \lstnewenvironment{java}[1][]238 {\lstset{language=java,moredelim=**[is][\protect\color{red}]{`}{`},#1}\lstset{#1}}239 {}240 237 241 238 % inline code @...@ … … 269 266 270 267 \abstract[Summary]{ 271 \CFA is a polymorphic, non-object-oriented, concurrent, backwards compatible extension of the C programming language.268 \CFA is a polymorphic, non-object-oriented, concurrent, backwards-compatible extension of the C programming language. 272 269 This paper discusses the design philosophy and implementation of its advanced control-flow and concurrent/parallel features, along with the supporting runtime written in \CFA. 273 270 These features are created from scratch as ISO C has only low-level and/or unimplemented concurrency, so C programmers continue to rely on library approaches like pthreads. … … 275 272 % Library extension for executors, futures, and actors are built on these basic mechanisms. 276 273 The runtime provides significant programmer simplification and safety by eliminating spurious wakeup and monitor barging. 277 The runtime also ensures multiple monitors can be safely acquired in a deadlock-free way, and this feature is fully integrated with all monitor synchronization mechanisms.274 The runtime also ensures multiple monitors can be safely acquired \emph{simultaneously} (deadlock free), and this feature is fully integrated with all monitor synchronization mechanisms. 278 275 All control-flow features integrate with the \CFA polymorphic type-system and exception handling, while respecting the expectations and style of C programmers. 279 276 Experimental results show comparable performance of the new features with similar mechanisms in other concurrent programming languages. … … 296 293 % "Trait inheritance" works for me. "Interface inheritance" might also be a good choice, and distinguish clearly from implementation inheritance. 297 294 % You'll want to be a little bit careful with terms like "structural" and "nominal" inheritance as well. CFA has structural inheritance (I think Go as well) -- it's inferred based on the structure of the code. Java, Rust, and Haskell (not sure about Swift) have nominal inheritance, where there needs to be a specific statement that "this type inherits from this type". 298 However, functions \emph{cannot} be nested in structures, so there is no lexical binding between a structure and set of functions implemented by an implicit \lstinline@this@ (receiver) parameter.},295 However, functions \emph{cannot} be nested in structures, so there is no lexical binding between a structure and set of functions (member/method) implemented by an implicit \lstinline@this@ (receiver) parameter.}, 299 296 backwards-compatible extension of the C programming language. 300 In many ways, \CFA is to C as Scala~\cite{Scala} is to Java, providing a vehiclefor new typing and control-flow capabilities on top of a highly popular programming language\footnote{301 The TIOBE index~\cite{TIOBE} for May 2020 ranks the top five \emph{popular} programming languages as C 17\%, Java 16\%, Python 9\%, \CC 6\%, and \Csharp 4\% = 52\%, and over the past 30 years, C has always ranked either first or second in popularity.}297 In many ways, \CFA is to C as Scala~\cite{Scala} is to Java, providing a \emph{research vehicle} for new typing and control-flow capabilities on top of a highly popular programming language\footnote{ 298 The TIOBE index~\cite{TIOBE} for December 2019 ranks the top five \emph{popular} programming languages as Java 17\%, C 16\%, Python 10\%, and \CC 6\%, \Csharp 5\% = 54\%, and over the past 30 years, C has always ranked either first or second in popularity.} 302 299 allowing immediate dissemination. 303 This paper discusses the design philosophy and implementation of \CFA's advanced control-flow and concurrent/parallel features, along with the supporting runtime written in \CFA. 300 This paper discusses the design philosophy and implementation of advanced language-level control-flow and concurrent/parallel features in \CFA and its runtime, which is written entirely in \CFA. 301 The \CFA control-flow framework extends ISO \Celeven~\cite{C11} with new call/return and concurrent/parallel control-flow. 304 302 305 303 % The call/return extensions retain state between callee and caller versus losing the callee's state on return; 306 304 % the concurrency extensions allow high-level management of threads. 307 305 308 The \CFA control-flow framework extends ISO \Celeven~\cite{C11} with new call/return and concurrent/parallel control-flow. 309 Call/return control-flow with argument and parameter passing appeared in the first programming languages. 310 Over the past 50 years, call/return has been augmented with features like static and dynamic call, exceptions (multi-level return) and generators/coroutines (see Section~\ref{s:StatefulFunction}). 311 While \CFA has mechanisms for dynamic call (algebraic effects~\cite{Zhang19}) and exceptions\footnote{ 306 Call/return control-flow with argument/parameter passing appeared in the first programming languages. 307 Over the past 50 years, call/return has been augmented with features like static/dynamic call, exceptions (multi-level return) and generators/coroutines (retain state between calls). 308 While \CFA has mechanisms for dynamic call (algebraic effects) and exceptions\footnote{ 312 309 \CFA exception handling will be presented in a separate paper. 313 The key feature that dovetails with this paper is nonlocal exceptions allowing exceptions to be raised across stacks, with synchronous exceptions raised among coroutines and asynchronous exceptions raised among threads, similar to that in \uC~\cite[\S~5]{uC++}}, this work only discusses retaining state between calls via generators andcoroutines.310 The key feature that dovetails with this paper is nonlocal exceptions allowing exceptions to be raised across stacks, with synchronous exceptions raised among coroutines and asynchronous exceptions raised among threads, similar to that in \uC~\cite[\S~5]{uC++}}, this work only discusses retaining state between calls via generators/coroutines. 314 311 \newterm{Coroutining} was introduced by Conway~\cite{Conway63} (1963), discussed by Knuth~\cite[\S~1.4.2]{Knuth73V1}, implemented in Simula67~\cite{Simula67}, formalized by Marlin~\cite{Marlin80}, and is now popular and appears in old and new programming languages: CLU~\cite{CLU}, \Csharp~\cite{Csharp}, Ruby~\cite{Ruby}, Python~\cite{Python}, JavaScript~\cite{JavaScript}, Lua~\cite{Lua}, \CCtwenty~\cite{C++20Coroutine19}. 315 312 Coroutining is sequential execution requiring direct handoff among coroutines, \ie only the programmer is controlling execution order. 316 If coroutines transfer to an internal event-engine for scheduling the next coroutines (as in async-await), the program transitions into the realm of concurrency~\cite[\S~3]{Buhr05a}.313 If coroutines transfer to an internal event-engine for scheduling the next coroutines, the program transitions into the realm of concurrency~\cite[\S~3]{Buhr05a}. 317 314 Coroutines are only a stepping stone towards concurrency where the commonality is that coroutines and threads retain state between calls. 318 315 319 \Celeven/\CCeleven define concurrency~\cite[\S~7.26]{C11}, but it is largely wrappers for a subset of the pthreads library~\cite{Pthreads}.\footnote{Pthreads concurrency is based on simple thread fork and join in a function and mutex orcondition locks, which is low-level and error-prone}320 Interestingly, almost a decade after the \Celeven standard, the most recent versions of gcc, clang, and msvc do notsupport the \Celeven include @threads.h@, indicating no interest in the C11 concurrency approach (possibly because of the recent effort to add concurrency to \CC).316 \Celeven/\CCeleven define concurrency~\cite[\S~7.26]{C11}, but it is largely wrappers for a subset of the pthreads library~\cite{Pthreads}.\footnote{Pthreads concurrency is based on simple thread fork/join in a function and mutex/condition locks, which is low-level and error-prone} 317 Interestingly, almost a decade after the \Celeven standard, neither gcc-9, clang-9 nor msvc-19 (most recent versions) support the \Celeven include @threads.h@, indicating no interest in the C11 concurrency approach (possibly because of the recent effort to add concurrency to \CC). 321 318 While the \Celeven standard does not state a threading model, the historical association with pthreads suggests implementations would adopt kernel-level threading (1:1)~\cite{ThreadModel}, as for \CC. 322 319 In contrast, there has been a renewed interest during the past decade in user-level (M:N, green) threading in old and new programming languages. … … 324 321 Kernel threading was chosen, largely because of its simplicity and fit with the simpler operating systems and hardware architectures at the time, which gave it a performance advantage~\cite{Drepper03}. 325 322 Libraries like pthreads were developed for C, and the Solaris operating-system switched from user (JDK 1.1~\cite{JDK1.1}) to kernel threads. 326 As a result, many languages adopt the 1:1 kernel-threading model, like Java (Scala), Objective-C~\cite{obj-c-book}, \CCeleven~\cite{C11}, C\#~\cite{Csharp} and Rust~\cite{Rust}, with a variety of presentation mechanisms.323 As a result, many current languages implementations adopt the 1:1 kernel-threading model, like Java (Scala), Objective-C~\cite{obj-c-book}, \CCeleven~\cite{C11}, C\#~\cite{Csharp} and Rust~\cite{Rust}, with a variety of presentation mechanisms. 327 324 From 2000 onwards, several language implementations have championed the M:N user-threading model, like Go~\cite{Go}, Erlang~\cite{Erlang}, Haskell~\cite{Haskell}, D~\cite{D}, and \uC~\cite{uC++,uC++book}, including putting green threads back into Java~\cite{Quasar}, and many user-threading libraries have appeared~\cite{Qthreads,MPC,Marcel}. 328 The main argument for user-level threading is that it is lighter weight than kernel threading because locking and context switching do not cross the kernel boundary, so there is less restriction on programming styles that encourages large numbers of threads performing medium-sized work to facilitate load balancing by the runtime~\cite{Verch12}.325 The main argument for user-level threading is that it is lighter weight than kernel threading (locking and context switching do not cross the kernel boundary), so there is less restriction on programming styles that encourages large numbers of threads performing medium-sized work to facilitate load balancing by the runtime~\cite{Verch12}. 329 326 As well, user-threading facilitates a simpler concurrency approach using thread objects that leverage sequential patterns versus events with call-backs~\cite{Adya02,vonBehren03}. 330 Finally, performant user-threading implementations , both in time and space,meet or exceed direct kernel-threading implementations, while achieving the programming advantages of high concurrency levels and safety.327 Finally, performant user-threading implementations (both time and space) meet or exceed direct kernel-threading implementations, while achieving the programming advantages of high concurrency levels and safety. 331 328 332 329 A further effort over the past two decades is the development of language memory models to deal with the conflict between language features and compiler/hardware optimizations, \eg some language features are unsafe in the presence of aggressive sequential optimizations~\cite{Buhr95a,Boehm05}. 333 The consequence is that a language must provide sufficient tools to program around safety issues, as inline and library code is compiled as sequential without any explicit concurrent directive.334 One solution is low-level qualifiers and functions , \eg @volatile@ and atomics, allowing \emph{programmers} to explicitly write safe, race-free~\cite{Boehm12}programs.335 A safer solution is high-level language constructs so the \emph{compiler} knows the concurrency boundaries , \ie where mutual exclusion and synchronization are acquired and released,and provide implicit safety at and across these boundaries.330 The consequence is that a language must provide sufficient tools to program around safety issues, as inline and library code is all sequential to the compiler. 331 One solution is low-level qualifiers and functions (\eg @volatile@ and atomics) allowing \emph{programmers} to explicitly write safe (race-free~\cite{Boehm12}) programs. 332 A safer solution is high-level language constructs so the \emph{compiler} knows the concurrency boundaries (where mutual exclusion and synchronization are acquired/released) and provide implicit safety at and across these boundaries. 336 333 While the optimization problem is best known with respect to concurrency, it applies to other complex control-flow, like exceptions and coroutines. 337 334 As well, language solutions allow matching the language paradigm with the approach, \eg matching the functional paradigm with data-flow programming or the imperative paradigm with thread programming. 338 335 339 Finally, it is important for a language to provide safety over performance \emph{as the default}, allowing careful reduction of safety for performance when necessary.340 Two concurrency violations of this philosophy are \emph{spurious } or \emph{random wakeup}~\cite[\S~9]{Buhr05a},and \emph{barging}\footnote{336 Finally, it is important for a language to provide safety over performance \emph{as the default}, allowing careful reduction of safety (unsafe code) for performance when necessary. 337 Two concurrency violations of this philosophy are \emph{spurious wakeup} (random wakeup~\cite[\S~9]{Buhr05a}) and \emph{barging}\footnote{ 341 338 Barging is competitive succession instead of direct handoff, \ie after a lock is released both arriving and preexisting waiter threads compete to acquire the lock. 342 339 Hence, an arriving thread can temporally \emph{barge} ahead of threads already waiting for an event, which can repeat indefinitely leading to starvation of waiter threads. 343 } or signals-as-hints~\cite[\S~8]{Buhr05a}, where one is a consequence of the other, \ie once there is spurious wakeup, barging follows.340 } (signals-as-hints~\cite[\S~8]{Buhr05a}), where one is a consequence of the other, \ie once there is spurious wakeup, signals-as-hints follow. 344 341 (Author experience teaching concurrency is that students are confused by these semantics.) 345 342 However, spurious wakeup is \emph{not} a foundational concurrency property~\cite[\S~9]{Buhr05a}; … … 359 356 360 357 \item 361 monitor synchronization without barging, and the ability to safely acquiring multiple monitors in a deadlock-free way, while seamlessly integrating these capabilities with all monitor synchronization mechanisms,358 monitor synchronization without barging, and the ability to safely acquiring multiple monitors \emph{simultaneously} (deadlock free), while seamlessly integrating these capabilities with all monitor synchronization mechanisms, 362 359 363 360 \item … … 371 368 372 369 \item 373 a dynamic partitioning mechanism to segregate groups of executing user and kernel threads performing specialized work , \eg web-server or compute engine, or requiring different scheduling, \eg NUMA or real-time.370 a dynamic partitioning mechanism to segregate groups of executing user and kernel threads performing specialized work (\eg web-server or compute engine) or requiring different scheduling (\eg NUMA or real-time). 374 371 375 372 % \item … … 383 380 Section~\ref{s:StatefulFunction} begins advanced control by introducing sequential functions that retain data and execution state between calls producing constructs @generator@ and @coroutine@. 384 381 Section~\ref{s:Concurrency} begins concurrency, or how to create (fork) and destroy (join) a thread producing the @thread@ construct. 385 Section~\ref{s:MutualExclusionSynchronization} discusses the two mechanisms to restricted nondeterminism when controlling shared access to resources , called mutual exclusion, and timing relationships among threads, called synchronization.382 Section~\ref{s:MutualExclusionSynchronization} discusses the two mechanisms to restricted nondeterminism when controlling shared access to resources (mutual exclusion) and timing relationships among threads (synchronization). 386 383 Section~\ref{s:Monitor} shows how both mutual exclusion and synchronization are safely embedded in the @monitor@ and @thread@ constructs. 387 Section~\ref{s:CFARuntimeStructure} describes the large-scale mechanism to structure threads and virtual processors (kernel threads).388 Section~\ref{s:Performance} uses microbenchmarks to compare \CFA threading with pthreads, Java 11.0.6, Go 1.12.6, Rust 1.37.0, Python 3.7.6, Node.js v12.18.0, and \uC 7.0.0.384 Section~\ref{s:CFARuntimeStructure} describes the large-scale mechanism to structure (cluster) threads and virtual processors (kernel threads). 385 Section~\ref{s:Performance} uses a series of microbenchmarks to compare \CFA threading with pthreads, Java 11.0.6, Go 1.12.6, Rust 1.37.0, Python 3.7.6, Node.js 12.14.1, and \uC 7.0.0. 389 386 390 387 … … 395 392 To this end, the control-flow features created for \CFA are based on the fundamental properties of any language with function-stack control-flow (see also \uC~\cite[pp.~140-142]{uC++}). 396 393 The fundamental properties are execution state, thread, and mutual-exclusion/synchronization (MES). 397 These independent properties can be used to compose different language features, forming a compositional hierarchy, where the combination of all three is the most advanced feature, called a thread.398 While it is possible for a language to only provide threads for composing programs~\cite{Hermes90}, this unnecessarily complicates and makes inefficient solutions to certain classes of problems.399 As is shown, each of the non-rejected composed languagefeatures solves a particular set of problems, and hence, has a defensible position in a programming language.400 If a compositional feature is missing, a programmer has too few fundamental properties resulting in a complex and/or is inefficient solution.394 These independent properties can be used alone, in pairs, or in triplets to compose different language features, forming a compositional hierarchy where the most advanced feature has all the properties (state/thread/MES). 395 While it is possible for a language to only support the most advanced feature~\cite{Hermes90}, this unnecessarily complicates and makes inefficient solutions to certain classes of problems. 396 As is shown, each of the (non-rejected) composed features solves a particular set of problems, and hence, has a defensible position in a programming language. 397 If a compositional feature is missing, a programmer has too few/many fundamental properties resulting in a complex and/or is inefficient solution. 401 398 402 399 In detail, the fundamental properties are: 403 400 \begin{description}[leftmargin=\parindent,topsep=3pt,parsep=0pt] 404 401 \item[\newterm{execution state}:] 405 is the state information needed by a control-flow feature to initialize, manage compute data and execution location(s), and de-initialize , \eg calling a function initializes a stack frame including contained objects with constructors, manages local data in blocks and return locations during calls, and de-initializes the frame by running any object destructors and management operations.406 State is retained in fixed-sized aggregate structures (objects)and dynamic-sized stack(s), often allocated in the heap(s) managed by the runtime system.407 The lifetime of state varies with the control-flow feature, where longer life-time and dynamic size provide greater power but also increase usage complexity and cost.408 Control-flow transfers among execution states in multiple ways, such as function call, context switch, asynchronous await, etc.402 is the state information needed by a control-flow feature to initialize, manage compute data and execution location(s), and de-initialize. 403 State is retained in fixed-sized aggregate structures and dynamic-sized stack(s), often allocated in the heap(s) managed by the runtime system. 404 The lifetime of the state varies with the control-flow feature, where longer life-time and dynamic size provide greater power but also increase usage complexity and cost. 405 Control-flow transfers among execution states occurs in multiple ways, such as function call, context switch, asynchronous await, etc. 409 406 Because the programming language determines what constitutes an execution state, implicitly manages this state, and defines movement mechanisms among states, execution state is an elementary property of the semantics of a programming language. 410 407 % An execution-state is related to the notion of a process continuation \cite{Hieb90}. 411 408 412 409 \item[\newterm{threading}:] 413 is execution of code that occurs independently of other execution, where an individual thread's executionis sequential.410 is execution of code that occurs independently of other execution, \ie the execution resulting from a thread is sequential. 414 411 Multiple threads provide \emph{concurrent execution}; 415 concurrent execution becomes parallel when run on multiple processing units , \eg hyper-threading, cores, or sockets.416 There must be language mechanisms to create, block and unblock, and join with a thread, even if the mechanism is indirect.412 concurrent execution becomes parallel when run on multiple processing units (hyper-threading, cores, sockets). 413 There must be language mechanisms to create, block/unblock, and join with a thread. 417 414 418 415 \item[\newterm{MES}:] 419 416 is the concurrency mechanisms to perform an action without interruption and establish timing relationships among multiple threads. 420 We contented these two properties are independent, \ie mutual exclusion cannot provide synchronization and vice versa without introducing additional threads~\cite[\S~4]{Buhr05a}.417 These two properties are independent, \ie mutual exclusion cannot provide synchronization and vice versa without introducing additional threads~\cite[\S~4]{Buhr05a}. 421 418 Limiting MES, \eg no access to shared data, results in contrived solutions and inefficiency on multi-core von Neumann computers where shared memory is a foundational aspect of its design. 422 419 \end{description} 423 These properties are fundamental because they cannot be built from existing language features, \eg a basic programming language like C99~\cite{C99} cannot create new control-flow features, concurrency, or provide MES without atomic hardware mechanisms. 424 425 426 \subsection{Structuring Execution Properties} 427 428 Programming languages seldom present the fundamental execution properties directly to programmers. 429 Instead, the properties are packaged into higher-level constructs that encapsulate details and provide safety to these low-level mechanisms. 430 Interestingly, language designers often pick and choose among these execution properties proving a varying subset of constructs. 431 432 Table~\ref{t:ExecutionPropertyComposition} shows all combinations of the three fundamental execution properties available to language designers. 433 (When doing combination case-analysis, not all combinations are meaningful.) 434 The combinations of state, thread, and MES compose a hierarchy of control-flow features all of which have appeared in prior programming languages, where each of these languages have found the feature useful. 435 To understand the table, it is important to review the basic von Neumann execution requirement of at least one thread and execution state providing some form of call stack. 420 These properties are fundamental because they cannot be built from existing language features, \eg a basic programming language like C99~\cite{C99} cannot create new control-flow features, concurrency, or provide MES using atomic hardware mechanisms. 421 422 423 \subsection{Execution Properties} 424 425 Table~\ref{t:ExecutionPropertyComposition} shows how the three fundamental execution properties: state, thread, and mutual exclusion compose a hierarchy of control-flow features needed in a programming language. 426 (When doing case analysis, not all combinations are meaningful.) 427 Note, basic von Neumann execution requires at least one thread and an execution state providing some form of call stack. 436 428 For table entries missing these minimal components, the property is borrowed from the invoker (caller). 437 Each entry in the table, numbered \textbf{1}--\textbf{12}, is discussed with respect to how the execution properties combine to generate a high-level language construct. 429 430 Case 1 is a function that borrows storage for its state (stack frame/activation) and a thread from its invoker and retains this state across \emph{callees}, \ie function local-variables are retained on the stack across calls. 431 Case 2 is case 1 with access to shared state so callers are restricted during update (mutual exclusion) and scheduling for other threads (synchronization). 432 Case 3 is a stateful function supporting resume/suspend along with call/return to retain state across \emph{callers}, but has some restrictions because the function's state is stackless. 433 Note, stackless functions still borrow the caller's stack and thread, where the stack is used to preserve state across its callees. 434 Case 4 is cases 2 and 3 with protection to shared state for stackless functions. 435 Cases 5 and 6 are the same as 3 and 4 but only the thread is borrowed as the function state is stackful, so resume/suspend is a context switch from the caller's to the function's stack. 436 Cases 7 and 8 are rejected because a function that is given a new thread must have its own stack where the thread begins and stack frames are stored for calls, \ie there is no stack to borrow. 437 Cases 9 and 10 are rejected because a thread with a fixed state (no stack) cannot accept calls, make calls, block, or be preempted, all of which require an unknown amount of additional dynamic state. 438 Hence, once started, this kind of thread must execute to completion, \ie computation only, which severely restricts runtime management. 439 Cases 11 and 12 have a stackful thread with and without safe access to shared state. 440 Execution properties increase the cost of creation and execution along with complexity of usage. 438 441 439 442 \begin{table} … … 449 452 \hline 450 453 \hline 451 No & No & \textbf{1}\ \ \ @struct@ & \textbf{2}\ \ \ @mutex@ @struct@\\454 No & No & \textbf{1}\ \ \ function & \textbf{2}\ \ \ @monitor@ function \\ 452 455 \hline 453 Yes (stackless) & No & \textbf{3}\ \ \ @generator@ & \textbf{4}\ \ \ @m utex@ @generator@ \\456 Yes (stackless) & No & \textbf{3}\ \ \ @generator@ & \textbf{4}\ \ \ @monitor@ @generator@ \\ 454 457 \hline 455 Yes (stackful) & No & \textbf{5}\ \ \ @coroutine@ & \textbf{6}\ \ \ @m utex@ @coroutine@ \\458 Yes (stackful) & No & \textbf{5}\ \ \ @coroutine@ & \textbf{6}\ \ \ @monitor@ @coroutine@ \\ 456 459 \hline 457 460 No & Yes & \textbf{7}\ \ \ {\color{red}rejected} & \textbf{8}\ \ \ {\color{red}rejected} \\ … … 459 462 Yes (stackless) & Yes & \textbf{9}\ \ \ {\color{red}rejected} & \textbf{10}\ \ \ {\color{red}rejected} \\ 460 463 \hline 461 Yes (stackful) & Yes & \textbf{11}\ \ \ @thread@ & \textbf{12}\ \ @m utex@ @thread@ \\464 Yes (stackful) & Yes & \textbf{11}\ \ \ @thread@ & \textbf{12}\ \ @monitor@ @thread@ \\ 462 465 \end{tabular} 463 466 \end{table} 464 467 465 Case 1 is a structure where access functions borrow local state (stack frame/activation) and thread from the invoker and retain this state across \emph{callees}, \ie function local-variables are retained on the borrowed stack during calls. 466 Structures are a foundational mechanism for data organization, and access functions provide interface abstraction and code sharing in all programming languages. 467 Case 2 is case 1 with thread safety to a structure's state where access functions provide serialization (mutual exclusion) and scheduling among calling threads (synchronization). 468 A @mutex@ structure, often called a \newterm{monitor}, provides a high-level interface for race-free access of shared data in concurrent programming-languages. 469 Case 3 is case 1 where the structure can implicitly retain execution state and access functions use this execution state to resume/suspend across \emph{callers}, but resume/suspend does not retain a function's local state. 470 A stackless structure, often called a \newterm{generator} or \emph{iterator}, is \newterm{stackless} because it still borrow the caller's stack and thread, but the stack is used only to preserve state across its callees not callers. 471 Generators provide the first step toward directly solving problems like finite-state machines that retain data and execution state between calls, whereas normal functions restart on each call. 472 Case 4 is cases 2 and 3 with thread safety during execution of the generator's access functions. 473 A @mutex@ generator extends generators into the concurrent domain. 474 Cases 5 and 6 are like cases 3 and 4 where the structure is extended with an implicit separate stack, so only the thread is borrowed by access functions. 475 A stackful generator, often called a \newterm{coroutine}, is \newterm{stackful} because resume/suspend now context switch to/from the caller's and coroutine's stack. 476 A coroutine extends the state retained between calls beyond the generator's structure to arbitrary call depth in the access functions. 477 Cases 7 and 8 are rejected because a new thread must have its own stack, where the thread begins and stack frames are stored for calls, \ie it is unrealistic for a thread to borrow a stack. 478 Cases 9 and 10 are rejected because a thread needs a growable stack to accept calls, make calls, block, or be preempted, all of which compound to require an unknown amount of execution state. 479 If this kind of thread exists, it must execute to completion, \ie computation only, which severely restricts runtime management. 480 Cases 11 and 12 are a stackful thread with and without safe access to shared state. 481 A thread is the language mechanism to start another thread of control in a program with growable execution state for call/return execution. 482 In general, language constructs with more execution properties increase the cost of creation and execution along with complexity of usage. 483 484 Given the execution-properties taxonomy, programmers now ask three basic questions: is state necessary across callers and how much, is a separate thread necessary, is thread safety necessary. 485 Table~\ref{t:ExecutionPropertyComposition} then suggests the optimal language feature needed for implementing a programming problem. 486 The following sections describe how \CFA fills in \emph{all} the non-rejected table entries with language features, while other programming languages may only provide a subset of the table. 468 Given the execution-properties taxonomy, programmers can now answer three basic questions: is state necessary across calls and how much, is a separate thread necessary, is access to shared state necessary. 469 The answers define the optimal language feature need for implementing a programming problem. 470 The next sections discusses how \CFA fills in the table with language features, while other programming languages may only provide a subset of the table. 487 471 488 472 … … 497 481 \item 498 482 Direct interaction among language features must be possible allowing any feature to be selected without restricting comm\-unication. 499 For example, many concurrent languages do not provide direct communication callsamong threads, \ie threads only communicate indirectly through monitors, channels, messages, and/or futures.500 Indirect communication increases the number of objects, consuming more resources, and require sadditional synchronization and possibly data transfer.483 For example, many concurrent languages do not provide direct communication (calls) among threads, \ie threads only communicate indirectly through monitors, channels, messages, and/or futures. 484 Indirect communication increases the number of objects, consuming more resources, and require additional synchronization and possibly data transfer. 501 485 502 486 \item … … 509 493 510 494 \item 511 MES must be available implicitly in language constructs , \eg Java built-in monitors, as well as explicitly for specialized requirements, \eg @java.util.concurrent@, because requiring programmers to build MES using low-level locks often leads to incorrect programs.495 MES must be available implicitly in language constructs as well as explicitly for specialized requirements, because requiring programmers to build MES using low-level locks often leads to incorrect programs. 512 496 Furthermore, reducing synchronization scope by encapsulating it within language constructs further reduces errors in concurrent programs. 513 497 … … 518 502 \item 519 503 Synchronization must be able to control the service order of requests including prioritizing selection from different kinds of outstanding requests, and postponing a request for an unspecified time while continuing to accept new requests. 520 Otherwise, certain concurrency problems are difficult, \egweb server, disk scheduling, and the amount of concurrency is inhibited~\cite{Gentleman81}.504 Otherwise, certain concurrency problems are difficult, e.g.\ web server, disk scheduling, and the amount of concurrency is inhibited~\cite{Gentleman81}. 521 505 \end{itemize} 522 506 We have satisfied these requirements in \CFA while maintaining backwards compatibility with the huge body of legacy C programs. … … 527 511 528 512 Asynchronous await/call is a caller mechanism for structuring programs and/or increasing concurrency, where the caller (client) postpones an action into the future, which is subsequently executed by a callee (server). 529 The caller detects the action's completion through a \newterm{future} or\newterm{promise}.513 The caller detects the action's completion through a \newterm{future}/\newterm{promise}. 530 514 The benefit is asynchronous caller execution with respect to the callee until future resolution. 531 515 For single-threaded languages like JavaScript, an asynchronous call passes a callee action, which is queued in the event-engine, and continues execution with a promise. … … 533 517 A promise-completion call-back can be part of the callee action or the caller is rescheduled; 534 518 in either case, the call back is executed after the promise is fulfilled. 535 While asynchronous calls generate new callee (server) events, we conten d this mechanism is insufficient for advanced control-flow mechanisms like generators or coroutines, which are discussed next.519 While asynchronous calls generate new callee (server) events, we content this mechanism is insufficient for advanced control-flow mechanisms like generators or coroutines (which are discussed next). 536 520 Specifically, control between caller and callee occurs indirectly through the event-engine precluding direct handoff and cycling among events, and requires complex resolution of a control promise and data. 537 521 Note, @async-await@ is just syntactic-sugar over the event engine so it does not solve these deficiencies. 538 522 For multi-threaded languages like Java, the asynchronous call queues a callee action with an executor (server), which subsequently executes the work by a thread in the executor thread-pool. 539 The problem is when concurrent work-units need to interact and/or block as this effects the executor by stoppingthreads.523 The problem is when concurrent work-units need to interact and/or block as this effects the executor, \eg stops threads. 540 524 While it is possible to extend this approach to support the necessary mechanisms, \eg message passing in Actors, we show monitors and threads provide an equally competitive approach that does not deviate from normal call communication and can be used to build asynchronous call, as is done in Java. 541 525 … … 556 540 There are two styles of activating a stateful function, \emph{asymmetric} or \emph{symmetric}, identified by resume/suspend (no cycles) and resume/resume (cycles). 557 541 These styles \emph{do not} cause incremental stack growth, \eg a million resume/suspend or resume/resume cycles do not remember each cycle just the last resumer for each cycle. 558 Selecting between stackless/stackful semantics and asymmetric/symmetric style is a tradeoff between programming requirements, performance, and design, where stackless is faster and smaller using modified call/return between closures, stackful is more general but slower and larger using context switching between distinct stacks, and asymmetric is simpler control-flow than symmetric.559 Additionally, storage management for the closure/stack must be factored into design and performance, especially in unmanaged languages without garbage collection.542 Selecting between stackless/stackful semantics and asymmetric/symmetric style is a tradeoff between programming requirements, performance, and design, where stackless is faster and smaller (modified call/return between closures), stackful is more general but slower and larger (context switching between distinct stacks), and asymmetric is simpler control-flow than symmetric. 543 Additionally, storage management for the closure/stack (especially in unmanaged languages, \ie no garbage collection) must be factored into design and performance. 560 544 Note, creation cost (closure/stack) is amortized across usage, so activation cost (resume/suspend) is usually the dominant factor. 561 545 … … 594 578 & 595 579 \begin{cfa} 596 void * `rtn`( void * arg ) { ... }580 void * rtn( void * arg ) { ... } 597 581 int i = 3, rc; 598 582 pthread_t t; $\C{// thread id}$ … … 706 690 \hspace{3pt} 707 691 \subfloat[C generated code for \CFA version]{\label{f:CFibonacciSim}\usebox\myboxC} 708 \caption{Fibonacci outputasymmetric generator}692 \caption{Fibonacci (output) asymmetric generator} 709 693 \label{f:FibonacciAsymmetricGenerator} 710 694 … … 781 765 \subfloat[C generated code for \CFA version]{\label{f:CFormatGenImpl}\usebox\myboxB} 782 766 \hspace{3pt} 783 \caption{Formatter inputasymmetric generator}767 \caption{Formatter (input) asymmetric generator} 784 768 \label{f:FormatterAsymmetricGenerator} 785 769 \end{figure} 786 770 787 Figure~\ref{f:FibonacciAsymmetricGenerator} shows an unbounded asymmetric generator for an infinite sequence of Fibonacci numbers written left to rightin C, \CFA, and showing the underlying C implementation for the \CFA version.771 Figure~\ref{f:FibonacciAsymmetricGenerator} shows an unbounded asymmetric generator for an infinite sequence of Fibonacci numbers written (left to right) in C, \CFA, and showing the underlying C implementation for the \CFA version. 788 772 This generator is an \emph{output generator}, producing a new result on each resumption. 789 773 To compute Fibonacci, the previous two values in the sequence are retained to generate the next value, \ie @fn1@ and @fn@, plus the execution location where control restarts when the generator is resumed, \ie top or middle. 790 An additional requirement is the ability to create an arbitrary number of generators of any kind, \ie retaining one state in global variables is insufficient;774 An additional requirement is the ability to create an arbitrary number of generators (of any kind), \ie retaining one state in global variables is insufficient; 791 775 hence, state is retained in a closure between calls. 792 776 Figure~\ref{f:CFibonacci} shows the C approach of manually creating the closure in structure @Fib@, and multiple instances of this closure provide multiple Fibonacci generators. … … 810 794 Figure~\ref{f:CFibonacciSim} shows the C implementation of the \CFA asymmetric generator. 811 795 Only one execution-state field, @restart@, is needed to subscript the suspension points in the generator. 812 At the start of the generator main, the @static@ declaration, @states@, is initialized to the N suspend points in the generator , where operator @&&@ dereferences or references a label~\cite{gccValueLabels}.796 At the start of the generator main, the @static@ declaration, @states@, is initialized to the N suspend points in the generator (where operator @&&@ dereferences/references a label~\cite{gccValueLabels}). 813 797 Next, the computed @goto@ selects the last suspend point and branches to it. 814 The cost of setting @restart@ and branching via the computed @goto@ adds very little cost to the suspend andresume calls.798 The cost of setting @restart@ and branching via the computed @goto@ adds very little cost to the suspend/resume calls. 815 799 816 800 An advantage of the \CFA explicit generator type is the ability to allow multiple type-safe interface functions taking and returning arbitrary types. … … 893 877 With respect to safety, we believe static analysis can discriminate persistent generator state from temporary generator-main state and raise a compile-time error for temporary usage spanning suspend points. 894 878 Our experience using generators is that the problems have simple data state, including local state, but complex execution state, so the burden of creating the generator type is small. 895 As well, C programmers are not afraid of this kind of semantic programming requirement, if it results in very small andfast generators.879 As well, C programmers are not afraid of this kind of semantic programming requirement, if it results in very small, fast generators. 896 880 897 881 Figure~\ref{f:CFAFormatGen} shows an asymmetric \newterm{input generator}, @Fmt@, for restructuring text into groups of characters of fixed-size blocks, \ie the input on the left is reformatted into the output on the right, where newlines are ignored. … … 915 899 The destructor provides a newline, if formatted text ends with a full line. 916 900 Figure~\ref{f:CFormatGenImpl} shows the C implementation of the \CFA input generator with one additional field and the computed @goto@. 917 For contrast, Figure~\ref{f:PythonFormatter} shows the equivalent Python format generator with the same properties as the \CFAformat generator.901 For contrast, Figure~\ref{f:PythonFormatter} shows the equivalent Python format generator with the same properties as the format generator. 918 902 919 903 % https://dl-acm-org.proxy.lib.uwaterloo.ca/ 920 904 921 An important application for the asymmetric generator isa device-driver, because device drivers are a significant source of operating-system errors: 85\% in Windows XP~\cite[p.~78]{Swift05} and 51.6\% in Linux~\cite[p.~1358,]{Xiao19}. %\cite{Palix11}905 Figure~\ref{f:DeviceDriverGen} shows an important application for an asymmetric generator, a device-driver, because device drivers are a significant source of operating-system errors: 85\% in Windows XP~\cite[p.~78]{Swift05} and 51.6\% in Linux~\cite[p.~1358,]{Xiao19}. %\cite{Palix11} 922 906 Swift \etal~\cite[p.~86]{Swift05} restructure device drivers using the Extension Procedure Call (XPC) within the kernel via functions @nooks_driver_call@ and @nooks_kernel_call@, which have coroutine properties context switching to separate stacks with explicit hand-off calls; 923 907 however, the calls do not retain execution state, and hence always start from the top. … … 925 909 However, Adya \etal~\cite{Adya02} argue against stack ripping in Section 3.2 and suggest a hybrid approach in Section 4 using cooperatively scheduled \emph{fibers}, which is coroutining. 926 910 927 Figure~\ref{f:DeviceDriverGen} shows the generator advantages in implementing a simple network device-driver withthe following protocol:911 As an example, the following protocol: 928 912 \begin{center} 929 913 \ldots\, STX \ldots\, message \ldots\, ESC ETX \ldots\, message \ldots\, ETX 2-byte crc \ldots 930 914 \end{center} 931 where the network message begins with the control character STX, ends with an ETX, and isfollowed by a 2-byte cyclic-redundancy check.915 is for a simple network message beginning with the control character STX, ending with an ETX, and followed by a 2-byte cyclic-redundancy check. 932 916 Control characters may appear in a message if preceded by an ESC. 933 917 When a message byte arrives, it triggers an interrupt, and the operating system services the interrupt by calling the device driver with the byte read from a hardware register. 934 The device driver returns a status code of its current state, and when a complete message is obtained, the operating system read sthe message accumulated in the supplied buffer.935 Hence, the device driver is an input/output generator, where the cost of resuming the device-driver generator is the same as call andreturn, so performance in an operating-system kernel is excellent.918 The device driver returns a status code of its current state, and when a complete message is obtained, the operating system read the message accumulated in the supplied buffer. 919 Hence, the device driver is an input/output generator, where the cost of resuming the device-driver generator is the same as call/return, so performance in an operating-system kernel is excellent. 936 920 The key benefits of using a generator are correctness, safety, and maintenance because the execution states are transcribed directly into the programming language rather than table lookup or stack ripping. 937 %The conclusion is that FSMs are complex and occur in important domains, so direct generator support is important in a system programming language.921 The conclusion is that FSMs are complex and occur in important domains, so direct generator support is important in a system programming language. 938 922 939 923 \begin{figure} … … 992 976 \end{figure} 993 977 994 Generators can also have symmetric activation using resume/resume to create control-flow cycles among generators.978 Figure~\ref{f:CFAPingPongGen} shows a symmetric generator, where the generator resumes another generator, forming a resume/resume cycle. 995 979 (The trivial cycle is a generator resuming itself.) 996 980 This control flow is similar to recursion for functions but without stack growth. 997 Figure~\ref{f:PingPongFullCoroutineSteps} shows the steps for symmetric control-flow using for the ping/pong program in Figure~\ref{f:CFAPingPongGen}. 998 The program starts by creating the generators, @ping@ and @pong@, and then assigns the partners that form the cycle. 981 Figure~\ref{f:PingPongFullCoroutineSteps} shows the steps for symmetric control-flow are creating, executing, and terminating the cycle. 999 982 Constructing the cycle must deal with definition-before-use to close the cycle, \ie, the first generator must know about the last generator, which is not within scope. 1000 983 (This issue occurs for any cyclic data structure.) 984 The example creates the generators, @ping@/@pong@, and then assigns the partners that form the cycle. 1001 985 % (Alternatively, the constructor can assign the partners as they are declared, except the first, and the first-generator partner is set after the last generator declaration to close the cycle.) 1002 Once the cycle is formed, the program main resumes one of the generators, @ping@, and the generators can then traverse an arbitrary number of cyclesusing @resume@ to activate partner generator(s).986 Once the cycle is formed, the program main resumes one of the generators, @ping@, and the generators can then traverse an arbitrary cycle using @resume@ to activate partner generator(s). 1003 987 Terminating the cycle is accomplished by @suspend@ or @return@, both of which go back to the stack frame that started the cycle (program main in the example). 1004 988 Note, the creator and starter may be different, \eg if the creator calls another function that starts the cycle. … … 1006 990 Also, since local variables are not retained in the generator function, there are no objects with destructors to be called, so the cost is the same as a function return. 1007 991 Destructor cost occurs when the generator instance is deallocated by the creator. 1008 1009 \begin{figure}1010 \centering1011 \input{FullCoroutinePhases.pstex_t}1012 \vspace*{-10pt}1013 \caption{Symmetric coroutine steps: Ping / Pong}1014 \label{f:PingPongFullCoroutineSteps}1015 \end{figure}1016 992 1017 993 \begin{figure} … … 1077 1053 \end{figure} 1078 1054 1055 \begin{figure} 1056 \centering 1057 \input{FullCoroutinePhases.pstex_t} 1058 \vspace*{-10pt} 1059 \caption{Symmetric coroutine steps: Ping / Pong} 1060 \label{f:PingPongFullCoroutineSteps} 1061 \end{figure} 1062 1079 1063 Figure~\ref{f:CPingPongSim} shows the C implementation of the \CFA symmetric generator, where there is still only one additional field, @restart@, but @resume@ is more complex because it does a forward rather than backward jump. 1080 1064 Before the jump, the parameter for the next call @partner@ is placed into the register used for the first parameter, @rdi@, and the remaining registers are reset for a return. … … 1082 1066 While the semantics of call forward is a tail-call optimization, which compilers perform, the generator state is different on each call rather a common state for a tail-recursive function (i.e., the parameter to the function never changes during the forward calls. 1083 1067 However, this assembler code depends on what entry code is generated, specifically if there are local variables and the level of optimization. 1084 Hence, internal compiler support is necessary for any forward call or backwards return, \eg LLVM has various coroutine support~\cite{CoroutineTS}, and \CFA can leverage this support should it eventually fork @clang@.1085 For this reason, \CFA does not support general symmetric generators at this time, but, it is possible to hand generate any symmetric generators , as in Figure~\ref{f:CPingPongSim},for proof of concept and performance testing.1068 Hence, internal compiler support is necessary for any forward call (or backwards return), \eg LLVM has various coroutine support~\cite{CoroutineTS}, and \CFA can leverage this support should it eventually fork @clang@. 1069 For this reason, \CFA does not support general symmetric generators at this time, but, it is possible to hand generate any symmetric generators (as in Figure~\ref{f:CPingPongSim}) for proof of concept and performance testing. 1086 1070 1087 1071 Finally, part of this generator work was inspired by the recent \CCtwenty coroutine proposal~\cite{C++20Coroutine19}, which uses the general term coroutine to mean generator. … … 1100 1084 \label{s:Coroutine} 1101 1085 1102 Stackful coroutines (Table~\ref{t:ExecutionPropertyComposition} case 5) extend generator semantics with an implicit closure and @suspend@ may appear in a helper function called from the coroutine main because of the separate stack. 1103 Note, simulating coroutines with stacks of generators, \eg Python with @yield from@ cannot handle symmetric control-flow. 1104 Furthermore, all stack components must be of generators, so it is impossible to call a library function passing a generator that yields. 1105 Creating a generator copy of the library function maybe impossible because the library function is opaque. 1106 1107 A \CFA coroutine is specified by replacing @generator@ with @coroutine@ for the type. 1086 Stackful coroutines (Table~\ref{t:ExecutionPropertyComposition} case 5) extend generator semantics, \ie there is an implicit closure and @suspend@ may appear in a helper function called from the coroutine main. 1087 A coroutine is specified by replacing @generator@ with @coroutine@ for the type. 1108 1088 Coroutine generality results in higher cost for creation, due to dynamic stack allocation, for execution, due to context switching among stacks, and for terminating, due to possible stack unwinding and dynamic stack deallocation. 1109 1089 A series of different kinds of coroutines and their implementations demonstrate how coroutines extend generators. 1110 1090 1111 1091 First, the previous generator examples are converted to their coroutine counterparts, allowing local-state variables to be moved from the generator type into the coroutine main. 1112 Now the coroutine type only contains communication variables between interface functions and the coroutine main.1113 1092 \begin{center} 1114 1093 \begin{tabular}{@{}l|l|l|l@{}} … … 1147 1126 \begin{cfa} 1148 1127 int Crc() { 1149 `suspend;` short int crc = byte << 8; 1150 `suspend;` status = (crc | byte) == sum ? MSG : ECRC; 1128 `suspend;` 1129 short int crc = byte << 8; 1130 `suspend;` 1131 status = (crc | byte) == sum ? MSG : ECRC; 1151 1132 return crc; 1152 1133 } 1153 1134 \end{cfa} 1154 A call to this function is placed at the end of the d evice driver's coroutine-main.1135 A call to this function is placed at the end of the driver's coroutine-main. 1155 1136 For complex finite-state machines, refactoring is part of normal program abstraction, especially when code is used in multiple places. 1156 1137 Again, this complexity is usually associated with execution state rather than data state. … … 1158 1139 \begin{comment} 1159 1140 Figure~\ref{f:Coroutine3States} creates a @coroutine@ type, @`coroutine` Fib { int fn; }@, which provides communication, @fn@, for the \newterm{coroutine main}, @main@, which runs on the coroutine stack, and possibly multiple interface functions, \eg @restart@. 1160 Like the structure in Figure~\ref{f:ExternalState}, the coroutine type allows multiple instances, where instances of this type are passed to the overloadedcoroutine main.1141 Like the structure in Figure~\ref{f:ExternalState}, the coroutine type allows multiple instances, where instances of this type are passed to the (overloaded) coroutine main. 1161 1142 The coroutine main's stack holds the state for the next generation, @f1@ and @f2@, and the code represents the three states in the Fibonacci formula via the three suspend points, to context switch back to the caller's @resume@. 1162 1143 The interface function @restart@, takes a Fibonacci instance and context switches to it using @resume@; … … 1392 1373 1393 1374 Figure~\ref{f:ProdCons} shows the ping-pong example in Figure~\ref{f:CFAPingPongGen} extended into a producer/consumer symmetric-coroutine performing bidirectional communication. 1394 This example is illustrative because both producer and consumer have two interface functions with @resume@s that suspend execution in these interfacefunctions.1375 This example is illustrative because both producer/consumer have two interface functions with @resume@s that suspend execution in these interface (helper) functions. 1395 1376 The program main creates the producer coroutine, passes it to the consumer coroutine in its initialization, and closes the cycle at the call to @start@ along with the number of items to be produced. 1396 1377 The call to @start@ is the first @resume@ of @prod@, which remembers the program main as the starter and creates @prod@'s stack with a frame for @prod@'s coroutine main at the top, and context switches to it. … … 1420 1401 The question now is where does control continue? 1421 1402 1422 The na\"{i}ve semantics for coroutine-cycle termination is to context switch to the last resumer, like executing a @suspend@ or@return@ in a generator.1403 The na\"{i}ve semantics for coroutine-cycle termination is to context switch to the last resumer, like executing a @suspend@/@return@ in a generator. 1423 1404 However, for coroutines, the last resumer is \emph{not} implicitly below the current stack frame, as for generators, because each coroutine's stack is independent. 1424 1405 Unfortunately, it is impossible to determine statically if a coroutine is in a cycle and unrealistic to check dynamically (graph-cycle problem). … … 1429 1410 For asymmetric coroutines, it is common for the first resumer (starter) coroutine to be the only resumer; 1430 1411 for symmetric coroutines, it is common for the cycle creator to persist for the lifetime of the cycle. 1431 For other scenarios, it is always possible to devise a solution with additional programming effort, such as forcing the cycle forward or backwardto a safe point before starting termination.1412 For other scenarios, it is always possible to devise a solution with additional programming effort, such as forcing the cycle forward (backward) to a safe point before starting termination. 1432 1413 1433 1414 Note, the producer/consumer example does not illustrate the full power of the starter semantics because @cons@ always ends first. 1434 1415 Assume generator @PingPong@ in Figure~\ref{f:PingPongSymmetricGenerator} is converted to a coroutine. 1435 1416 Unlike generators, coroutines have a starter structure with multiple levels, where the program main starts @ping@ and @ping@ starts @pong@. 1436 By adjusting $N$ for either @ping@ or@pong@, it is possible to have either finish first.1417 By adjusting $N$ for either @ping@/@pong@, it is possible to have either finish first. 1437 1418 If @pong@ ends first, it resumes its starter @ping@ in its coroutine main, then @ping@ ends and resumes its starter the program main on return; 1438 1419 if @ping@ ends first, it resumes its starter the program main on return. … … 1444 1425 \subsection{Generator / Coroutine Implementation} 1445 1426 1446 A significant implementation challenge for generators and coroutines (and threads in Section~\ref{s:threads}) is adding extra fields to the custom types and related functions, \eg inserting code after/before the coroutine constructor/destructor and @main@ to create/initialize/de-initialize/destroy any extra fields, \eg the coroutinestack.1427 A significant implementation challenge for generators/coroutines (and threads in Section~\ref{s:threads}) is adding extra fields to the custom types and related functions, \eg inserting code after/before the coroutine constructor/destructor and @main@ to create/initialize/de-initialize/destroy any extra fields, \eg stack. 1447 1428 There are several solutions to these problem, which follow from the object-oriented flavour of adopting custom types. 1448 1429 … … 1452 1433 \end{cfa} 1453 1434 % The problem is that the programming language and its tool chain, \eg debugger, @valgrind@, need to understand @baseCoroutine@ because it infers special property, so type @baseCoroutine@ becomes a de facto keyword and all types inheriting from it are implicitly custom types. 1454 The problem is that some special properties are not handled by existing language semantics, \eg the execution of constructors anddestructors is in the wrong order to implicitly start threads because the thread must start \emph{after} all constructors as it relies on a completely initialized object, but the inherited constructor runs \emph{before} the derived.1435 The problem is that some special properties are not handled by existing language semantics, \eg the execution of constructors/destructors is in the wrong order to implicitly start threads because the thread must start \emph{after} all constructors as it relies on a completely initialized object, but the inherited constructor runs \emph{before} the derived. 1455 1436 Alternatives, such as explicitly starting threads as in Java, are repetitive and forgetting to call start is a common source of errors. 1456 1437 An alternative is composition: … … 1480 1461 forall( `dtype` T | is_coroutine(T) ) void $suspend$( T & ), resume( T & ); 1481 1462 \end{cfa} 1482 Note, copying generators , coroutines, andthreads is undefined because muliple objects cannot execute on a shared stack and stack copying does not work in unmanaged languages (no garbage collection), like C, because the stack may contain pointers to objects within it that require updating for the copy.1483 The \CFA @dtype@ property provides no \emph{implicit} copying operations and the @is_coroutine@ trait provides no \emph{explicit} copying operations, so all coroutines must be passed by reference or pointer.1484 The function definitions ensure there is a statically typed @main@ function that is the starting point (first stack frame) of a coroutine, and a mechanism to readthe coroutine descriptor from its handle.1485 The @main@ function has no return value or additional parameters because the coroutine type allows an arbitrary number of interface functions with arbitrary typed input andoutput values versus fixed ones.1463 Note, copying generators/coroutines/threads is undefined because muliple objects cannot execute on a shared stack and stack copying does not work in unmanaged languages (no garbage collection), like C, because the stack may contain pointers to objects within it that require updating for the copy. 1464 The \CFA @dtype@ property provides no \emph{implicit} copying operations and the @is_coroutine@ trait provides no \emph{explicit} copying operations, so all coroutines must be passed by reference (pointer). 1465 The function definitions ensure there is a statically typed @main@ function that is the starting point (first stack frame) of a coroutine, and a mechanism to get (read) the coroutine descriptor from its handle. 1466 The @main@ function has no return value or additional parameters because the coroutine type allows an arbitrary number of interface functions with corresponding arbitrary typed input/output values versus fixed ones. 1486 1467 The advantage of this approach is that users can easily create different types of coroutines, \eg changing the memory layout of a coroutine is trivial when implementing the @get_coroutine@ function, and possibly redefining \textsf{suspend} and @resume@. 1487 1468 … … 1525 1506 1526 1507 Figure~\ref{f:CoroutineMemoryLayout} shows different memory-layout options for a coroutine (where a thread is similar). 1527 The coroutine handle is the @coroutine@ instance containing programmer specified type global andcommunication variables across interface functions.1508 The coroutine handle is the @coroutine@ instance containing programmer specified type global/communication variables across interface functions. 1528 1509 The coroutine descriptor contains all implicit declarations needed by the runtime, \eg @suspend@/@resume@, and can be part of the coroutine handle or separate. 1529 1510 The coroutine stack can appear in a number of locations and be fixed or variable sized. 1530 Hence, the coroutine's stack could be a variable-length structure (VLS) 1531 % \footnote{ 1532 % We are examining VLSs, where fields can be variable-sized structures or arrays. 1533 % Once allocated, a VLS is fixed sized.} 1511 Hence, the coroutine's stack could be a variable-length structure (VLS)\footnote{ 1512 We are examining VLSs, where fields can be variable-sized structures or arrays. 1513 Once allocated, a VLS is fixed sized.} 1534 1514 on the allocating stack, provided the allocating stack is large enough. 1535 For a VLS stack allocation and deallocation is an inexpensive adjustment of the stack pointer, modulo any stack constructor costs to initial frame setup.1536 For stack allocation in the heap, allocation anddeallocation is an expensive allocation, where the heap can be a shared resource, modulo any stack constructor costs.1537 It is also possible to use a split or segmentedstack calling convention, available with gcc and clang, allowing a variable-sized stack via a set of connected blocks in the heap.1538 Currently, \CFA supports stack andheap allocated descriptors but only fixed-sized heap allocated stacks.1515 For a VLS stack allocation/deallocation is an inexpensive adjustment of the stack pointer, modulo any stack constructor costs (\eg initial frame setup). 1516 For stack allocation in the heap, allocation/deallocation is an expensive allocation, where the heap can be a shared resource, modulo any stack constructor costs. 1517 It is also possible to use a split (segmented) stack calling convention, available with gcc and clang, allowing a variable-sized stack via a set of connected blocks in the heap. 1518 Currently, \CFA supports stack/heap allocated descriptors but only fixed-sized heap allocated stacks. 1539 1519 In \CFA debug-mode, the fixed-sized stack is terminated with a write-only page, which catches most stack overflows. 1540 1520 Experience teaching concurrency with \uC~\cite{CS343} shows fixed-sized stacks are rarely an issue for students. … … 1559 1539 The transition to concurrency, even for a single thread with multiple stacks, occurs when coroutines context switch to a \newterm{scheduling coroutine}, introducing non-determinism from the coroutine perspective~\cite[\S~3]{Buhr05a}. 1560 1540 Therefore, a minimal concurrency system requires coroutines \emph{in conjunction with a nondeterministic scheduler}. 1561 The resulting execution system now follows a cooperative threading-model~\cite{Adya02,libdill} because context-switching points to the scheduler are known, but the next unblocking point is unknown due to the scheduler.1541 The resulting execution system now follows a cooperative threading-model~\cite{Adya02,libdill} because context-switching points to the scheduler (blocking) are known, but the next unblocking point is unknown due to the scheduler. 1562 1542 Adding \newterm{preemption} introduces \newterm{non-cooperative} or \newterm{preemptive} scheduling, where context switching points to the scheduler are unknown as they can occur randomly between any two instructions often based on a timer interrupt. 1563 1543 Uncertainty gives the illusion of parallelism on a single processor and provides a mechanism to access and increase performance on multiple processors. 1564 The reason is that the scheduler andruntime have complete knowledge about resources and how to best utilized them.1544 The reason is that the scheduler/runtime have complete knowledge about resources and how to best utilized them. 1565 1545 However, the introduction of unrestricted nondeterminism results in the need for \newterm{mutual exclusion} and \newterm{synchronization}~\cite[\S~4]{Buhr05a}, which restrict nondeterminism for correctness; 1566 1546 otherwise, it is impossible to write meaningful concurrent programs. … … 1576 1556 \label{s:threads} 1577 1557 1578 Threading (Table~\ref{t:ExecutionPropertyComposition} case 11) needs the ability to start a thread and wait for its completion, where a common API is @fork@ and @join@. 1558 Threading (Table~\ref{t:ExecutionPropertyComposition} case 11) needs the ability to start a thread and wait for its completion. 1559 A common API for this ability is @fork@ and @join@. 1579 1560 \vspace{4pt} 1580 1561 \par\noindent … … 1608 1589 \vspace{1pt} 1609 1590 \par\noindent 1610 \CFA has a simpler approach using a custom @thread@ type and leveraging declaration semantics , allocation and deallocation, where threads implicitly @fork@ after construction and @join@ before destruction.1591 \CFA has a simpler approach using a custom @thread@ type and leveraging declaration semantics (allocation/deallocation), where threads implicitly @fork@ after construction and @join@ before destruction. 1611 1592 \begin{cfa} 1612 1593 thread MyThread {}; … … 1617 1598 } $\C{// deallocate stack-based threads, implicit joins before destruction}$ 1618 1599 \end{cfa} 1619 This semantic ensures a thread is started and stopped exactly once, eliminating some programming error, and scales to multiple threads for basic terminationsynchronization.1620 For block allocation to arbitrary depth, including recursion, threads are created anddestroyed in a lattice structure (tree with top and bottom).1600 This semantic ensures a thread is started and stopped exactly once, eliminating some programming error, and scales to multiple threads for basic (termination) synchronization. 1601 For block allocation to arbitrary depth, including recursion, threads are created/destroyed in a lattice structure (tree with top and bottom). 1621 1602 Arbitrary topologies are possible using dynamic allocation, allowing threads to outlive their declaration scope, identical to normal dynamic allocation. 1622 1603 \begin{cfa} … … 1689 1670 \end{tabular} 1690 1671 \end{cquote} 1691 Like coroutines, the @dtype@ property prevents \emph{implicit} copy operations and the @is_thread@ trait provides no \emph{explicit} copy operations, so threads must be passed by reference or pointer.1692 Similarly, the function definitions ensure there is a statically typed @main@ function that is the thread starting point (first stack frame), a mechanism to readthe thread descriptor from its handle, and a special destructor to prevent deallocation while the thread is executing.1672 Like coroutines, the @dtype@ property prevents \emph{implicit} copy operations and the @is_thread@ trait provides no \emph{explicit} copy operations, so threads must be passed by reference (pointer). 1673 Similarly, the function definitions ensure there is a statically typed @main@ function that is the thread starting point (first stack frame), a mechanism to get (read) the thread descriptor from its handle, and a special destructor to prevent deallocation while the thread is executing. 1693 1674 (The qualifier @mutex@ for the destructor parameter is discussed in Section~\ref{s:Monitor}.) 1694 1675 The difference between the coroutine and thread is that a coroutine borrows a thread from its caller, so the first thread resuming a coroutine creates the coroutine's stack and starts running the coroutine main on the stack; 1695 1676 whereas, a thread is scheduling for execution in @main@ immediately after its constructor is run. 1696 No return value or additional parameters are necessary for this function because the @thread@ type allows an arbitrary number of interface functions with corresponding arbitrary typed input andoutput values.1677 No return value or additional parameters are necessary for this function because the @thread@ type allows an arbitrary number of interface functions with corresponding arbitrary typed input/output values. 1697 1678 1698 1679 … … 1702 1683 Unrestricted nondeterminism is meaningless as there is no way to know when a result is completed and safe to access. 1703 1684 To produce meaningful execution requires clawing back some determinism using mutual exclusion and synchronization, where mutual exclusion provides access control for threads using shared data, and synchronization is a timing relationship among threads~\cite[\S~4]{Buhr05a}. 1704 The shared data protected by mutual exlusion is called a \newterm{critical section}~\cite{Dijkstra65}, and the protection can be simple , only 1 thread, or complex, only N kinds of threads, \eg group~\cite{Joung00} or readers/writer~\cite{Courtois71} problems.1705 Without synchronization control in a critical section, an arriving thread can barge ahead of preexisting waiter threads resulting in short/long-term starvation, staleness and freshness problems, andincorrect transfer of data.1685 The shared data protected by mutual exlusion is called a \newterm{critical section}~\cite{Dijkstra65}, and the protection can be simple (only 1 thread) or complex (only N kinds of threads, \eg group~\cite{Joung00} or readers/writer~\cite{Courtois71}). 1686 Without synchronization control in a critical section, an arriving thread can barge ahead of preexisting waiter threads resulting in short/long-term starvation, staleness/freshness problems, and/or incorrect transfer of data. 1706 1687 Preventing or detecting barging is a challenge with low-level locks, but made easier through higher-level constructs. 1707 1688 This challenge is often split into two different approaches: barging \emph{avoidance} and \emph{prevention}. … … 1715 1696 Some concurrent systems eliminate mutable shared-state by switching to non-shared communication like message passing~\cite{Thoth,Harmony,V-Kernel,MPI} (Erlang, MPI), channels~\cite{CSP} (CSP,Go), actors~\cite{Akka} (Akka, Scala), or functional techniques (Haskell). 1716 1697 However, these approaches introduce a new communication mechanism for concurrency different from the standard communication using function call/return. 1717 Hence, a programmer must learn and manipulate two sets of design andprogramming patterns.1698 Hence, a programmer must learn and manipulate two sets of design/programming patterns. 1718 1699 While this distinction can be hidden away in library code, effective use of the library still has to take both paradigms into account. 1719 In contrast, approaches based on shared-state models more closely resemble the standard call andreturn programming model, resulting in a single programming paradigm.1700 In contrast, approaches based on shared-state models more closely resemble the standard call/return programming model, resulting in a single programming paradigm. 1720 1701 Finally, a newer approach for restricting non-determinism is transactional memory~\cite{Herlihy93}. 1721 1702 While this approach is pursued in hardware~\cite{Nakaike15} and system languages, like \CC~\cite{Cpp-Transactions}, the performance and feature set is still too restrictive~\cite{Cascaval08,Boehm09} to be the main concurrency paradigm for system languages. … … 1730 1711 For these reasons, \CFA selected monitors as the core high-level concurrency construct, upon which higher-level approaches can be easily constructed. 1731 1712 1732 Figure~\ref{f:AtomicCounter} compares a \CFA and Java monitor implementing an atomic counter. 1733 (Like other concurrent programming languages, \CFA and Java have performant specializations for the basic types using atomic instructions.) 1734 A \newterm{monitor} is a set of functions that ensure mutual exclusion when accessing shared state. 1735 (Note, in \CFA, @monitor@ is short-hand for @mutex struct@.) 1736 More precisely, a monitor is a programming technique that implicitly binds mutual exclusion to static function scope by call and return, as opposed to locks, where mutual exclusion is defined by acquire/release calls, independent of lexical context (analogous to block and heap storage allocation). 1737 Restricting acquire and release points eases programming, comprehension, and maintenance, at a slight cost in flexibility and efficiency. 1738 As for other special types, \CFA has a custom @monitor@ type. 1739 1740 \begin{figure} 1741 \centering 1742 1743 \begin{lrbox}{\myboxA} 1744 \begin{cfa}[aboveskip=0pt,belowskip=0pt] 1745 `monitor` Aint { // atomic integer counter 1746 int cnt; 1747 }; 1748 int ++?( Aint & `mutex` this ) with(this) { return ++cnt; } 1749 int ?=?( Aint & `mutex` lhs, int rhs ) with(lhs) { cnt = rhs; } 1750 int ?=?(int & lhs, Aint & rhs) with(rhs) { lhs = cnt; } 1751 1713 Specifically, a \textbf{monitor} is a set of functions that ensure mutual exclusion when accessing shared state. 1714 More precisely, a monitor is a programming technique that implicitly binds mutual exclusion to static function scope by call/return, as opposed to locks, where mutual-exclusion is defined by acquire/release calls, independent of lexical context (analogous to block and heap storage allocation). 1715 Restricting acquire/release points eases programming, comprehension, and maintenance, at a slight cost in flexibility and efficiency. 1716 \CFA uses a custom @monitor@ type and leverages declaration semantics (deallocation) to protect active or waiting threads in a monitor. 1717 1718 The following is a \CFA monitor implementation of an atomic counter. 1719 \begin{cfa} 1720 `monitor` Aint { int cnt; }; $\C[4.25in]{// atomic integer counter}$ 1721 int ++?( Aint & `mutex` this ) with( this ) { return ++cnt; } $\C{// increment}$ 1722 int ?=?( Aint & `mutex` lhs, int rhs ) with( lhs ) { cnt = rhs; } $\C{// conversions with int, mutex optional}\CRT$ 1723 int ?=?( int & lhs, Aint & `mutex` rhs ) with( rhs ) { lhs = cnt; } 1724 \end{cfa} 1725 The operators use the parameter-only declaration type-qualifier @mutex@ to mark which parameters require locking during function execution to protect from race conditions. 1726 The assignment operators provide bidirectional conversion between an atomic and normal integer without accessing field @cnt@. 1727 (These operations only need @mutex@, if reading/writing the implementation type is not atomic.) 1728 The atomic counter is used without any explicit mutual-exclusion and provides thread-safe semantics. 1729 \begin{cfa} 1752 1730 int i = 0, j = 0, k = 5; 1753 Aint x = { 0 }, y = { 0 }, z = { 5 }; // no mutex 1754 ++x; ++y; ++z; // mutex 1755 x = 2; y = i; z = k; // mutex 1756 i = x; j = y; k = z; // no mutex 1757 \end{cfa} 1758 \end{lrbox} 1759 1760 \begin{lrbox}{\myboxB} 1761 \begin{java}[aboveskip=0pt,belowskip=0pt] 1762 class Aint { 1763 private int cnt; 1764 public Aint( int init ) { cnt = init; } 1765 `synchronized` public int inc() { return ++cnt; } 1766 `synchronized` public void set( int rhs ) {cnt=rhs;} 1767 public int get() { return cnt; } 1768 } 1769 int i = 0, j = 0, k = 5; 1770 Aint x=new Aint(0), y=new Aint(0), z=new Aint(5); 1771 x.inc(); y.inc(); z.inc(); 1772 x.set( 2 ); y.set( i ); z.set( k ); 1773 i = x.get(); j = y.get(); k = z.get(); 1774 \end{java} 1775 \end{lrbox} 1776 1777 \subfloat[\CFA]{\label{f:AtomicCounterCFA}\usebox\myboxA} 1778 \hspace{3pt} 1779 \vrule 1780 \hspace{3pt} 1781 \subfloat[Java]{\label{f:AtomicCounterJava}\usebox\myboxB} 1782 \caption{Atomic counter} 1783 \label{f:AtomicCounter} 1784 \end{figure} 1785 1786 Like Java, \CFA monitors have \newterm{multi-acquire} semantics so the thread in the monitor may acquire it multiple times without deadlock, allowing recursion and calling other interface functions. 1787 % \begin{cfa} 1788 % monitor M { ... } m; 1789 % void foo( M & mutex m ) { ... } $\C{// acquire mutual exclusion}$ 1790 % void bar( M & mutex m ) { $\C{// acquire mutual exclusion}$ 1791 % ... `bar( m );` ... `foo( m );` ... $\C{// reacquire mutual exclusion}$ 1792 % } 1793 % \end{cfa} 1794 \CFA monitors also ensure the monitor lock is released regardless of how an acquiring function ends, normal or exceptional, and returning a shared variable is safe via copying before the lock is released. 1731 Aint x = { 0 }, y = { 0 }, z = { 5 }; $\C{// no mutex required}$ 1732 ++x; ++y; ++z; $\C{// safe increment by multiple threads}$ 1733 x = 2; y = i; z = k; $\C{// conversions}$ 1734 i = x; j = y; k = z; 1735 \end{cfa} 1736 Note, like other concurrent programming languages, \CFA has specializations for the basic types using atomic instructions for performance and a general trait similar to the \CC template @std::atomic@. 1737 1738 \CFA monitors have \newterm{multi-acquire} semantics so the thread in the monitor may acquire it multiple times without deadlock, allowing recursion and calling other interface functions. 1739 \newpage 1740 \begin{cfa} 1741 monitor M { ... } m; 1742 void foo( M & mutex m ) { ... } $\C{// acquire mutual exclusion}$ 1743 void bar( M & mutex m ) { $\C{// acquire mutual exclusion}$ 1744 ... `bar( m );` ... `foo( m );` ... $\C{// reacquire mutual exclusion}$ 1745 } 1746 \end{cfa} 1747 \CFA monitors also ensure the monitor lock is released regardless of how an acquiring function ends (normal or exceptional), and returning a shared variable is safe via copying before the lock is released. 1795 1748 Similar safety is offered by \emph{explicit} opt-in disciplines like \CC RAII versus the monitor \emph{implicit} language-enforced safety guarantee ensuring no programmer usage errors. 1796 However, RAII mechanisms cannot handle complex synchronization within a monitor, where the monitor lock may not be released on function exit because it is passed to an unblocking thread;1749 Furthermore, RAII mechanisms cannot handle complex synchronization within a monitor, where the monitor lock may not be released on function exit because it is passed to an unblocking thread; 1797 1750 RAII is purely a mutual-exclusion mechanism (see Section~\ref{s:Scheduling}). 1798 1799 Both Java and \CFA use a keyword @mutex@/\lstinline[language=java]|synchronized| to designate functions that implicitly acquire/release the monitor lock on call/return providing mutual exclusion to the stared data.1800 Non-designated functions provide no mutual exclusion for read-only access or as an interface to a multi-step protocol requiring several steps of acquiring and releasing the monitor.1801 Monitor objects can be passed through multiple helper functions without acquiring mutual exclusion, until a designated function associated with the object is called.1802 \CFA designated functions are marked by an explicitly parameter-only pointer/reference qualifier @mutex@ (discussed further in Section\ref{s:MutexAcquisition}).1803 Whereas, Java designated members are marked with \lstinline[language=java]|synchronized| that applies to the implicit reference parameter @this@.1804 In the example, the increment and setter operations need mutual exclusion while the read-only getter operation can be non-mutex if reading the implementation is atomic.1805 1751 1806 1752 … … 1825 1771 \end{tabular} 1826 1772 \end{cquote} 1827 The @dtype@ property prevents \emph{implicit} copy operations and the @is_monitor@ trait provides no \emph{explicit} copy operations, so monitors must be passed by reference or pointer.1828 Similarly, the function definitions ensures there is a mechanism to read the monitor descriptor from its handle, and a special destructor to prevent deallocation if a thread isusing the shared data.1773 The @dtype@ property prevents \emph{implicit} copy operations and the @is_monitor@ trait provides no \emph{explicit} copy operations, so monitors must be passed by reference (pointer). 1774 Similarly, the function definitions ensures there is a mechanism to get (read) the monitor descriptor from its handle, and a special destructor to prevent deallocation if a thread using the shared data. 1829 1775 The custom monitor type also inserts any locks needed to implement the mutual exclusion semantics. 1830 \CFA relies heavily on traits as an abstraction mechanism, so the @mutex@ qualifier prevents coincidentally matching of a monitor trait with a type that is not a monitor, similar to coincidental inheritance where a shape and playing card can both be drawable.1831 1776 1832 1777 … … 1834 1779 \label{s:MutexAcquisition} 1835 1780 1836 For object-oriented programming languages, the mutex property applies to one object, the implicit pointer/reference to the monitor type. 1837 Because \CFA uses a pointer qualifier, other possibilities exist, \eg: 1838 \begin{cfa} 1839 monitor M { ... }; 1781 While the monitor lock provides mutual exclusion for shared data, there are implementation options for when and where the locking/unlocking occurs. 1782 (Much of this discussion also applies to basic locks.) 1783 For example, a monitor may be passed through multiple helper functions before it is necessary to acquire the monitor's mutual exclusion. 1784 1785 \CFA requires programmers to identify the kind of parameter with the @mutex@ keyword and uses no keyword to mean \lstinline[morekeywords=nomutex]@nomutex@, because @mutex@ parameters are rare and no keyword is the \emph{normal} parameter semantics. 1786 Hence, @mutex@ parameters are documentation, at the function and its prototype, to both programmer and compiler, without other redundant keywords. 1787 Furthermore, \CFA relies heavily on traits as an abstraction mechanism, so the @mutex@ qualifier prevents coincidentally matching of a monitor trait with a type that is not a monitor, similar to coincidental inheritance where a shape and playing card can both be drawable. 1788 1789 The next semantic decision is establishing which parameter \emph{types} may be qualified with @mutex@. 1790 The following has monitor parameter types that are composed of multiple objects. 1791 \begin{cfa} 1792 monitor M { ... } 1840 1793 int f1( M & mutex m ); $\C{// single parameter object}$ 1841 1794 int f2( M * mutex m ); $\C{// single or multiple parameter object}$ … … 1843 1796 int f4( stack( M * ) & mutex m ); $\C{// multiple parameters object}$ 1844 1797 \end{cfa} 1845 Function @f1@ has a single object parameter, while functions @f2@ to @f4@ can be a single or multi-element parameter with statically unknown size. 1846 Because of the statically unknown size, \CFA only supports a single reference @mutex@ parameter, @f1@. 1847 1848 The \CFA @mutex@ qualifier does allow the ability to support multi-monitor functions,\footnote{ 1798 Function @f1@ has a single parameter object, while @f2@'s indirection could be a single or multi-element array, where static array size is often unknown in C. 1799 Function @f3@ has a multiple object matrix, and @f4@ a multiple object data structure. 1800 While shown shortly, multiple object acquisition is possible, but the number of objects must be statically known. 1801 Therefore, \CFA only acquires one monitor per parameter with exactly one level of indirection, and exclude pointer types to unknown sized arrays. 1802 1803 For object-oriented monitors, \eg Java, calling a mutex member \emph{implicitly} acquires mutual exclusion of the receiver object, @`rec`.foo(...)@. 1804 \CFA has no receiver, and hence, the explicit @mutex@ qualifier is used to specify which objects acquire mutual exclusion. 1805 A positive consequence of this design decision is the ability to support multi-monitor functions,\footnote{ 1849 1806 While object-oriented monitors can be extended with a mutex qualifier for multiple-monitor members, no prior example of this feature could be found.} 1850 where the number of acquisitions is statically known,called \newterm{bulk acquire}.1807 called \newterm{bulk acquire}. 1851 1808 \CFA guarantees bulk acquisition order is consistent across calls to @mutex@ functions using the same monitors as arguments, so acquiring multiple monitors in a bulk acquire is safe from deadlock. 1852 1809 Figure~\ref{f:BankTransfer} shows a trivial solution to the bank transfer problem~\cite{BankTransfer}, where two resources must be locked simultaneously, using \CFA monitors with implicit locking and \CC with explicit locking. … … 1976 1933 % There are many aspects of scheduling in a concurrency system, all related to resource utilization by waiting threads, \ie which thread gets the resource next. 1977 1934 % Different forms of scheduling include access to processors by threads (see Section~\ref{s:RuntimeStructureCluster}), another is access to a shared resource by a lock or monitor. 1978 This section discusses scheduling for waiting threads eligible for monitor entry ~\cite{Buhr95b}, \ie which user thread gets the shared resource next. (See Section~\ref{s:RuntimeStructureCluster} for scheduling kernel threads on virtual processors.)1935 This section discusses scheduling for waiting threads eligible for monitor entry, \ie which user thread gets the shared resource next. (See Section~\ref{s:RuntimeStructureCluster} for scheduling kernel threads on virtual processors.) 1979 1936 While monitor mutual-exclusion provides safe access to its shared data, the data may indicate a thread cannot proceed, \eg a bounded buffer may be full/\-empty so produce/consumer threads must block. 1980 1937 Leaving the monitor and retrying (busy waiting) is impractical for high-level programming. … … 1982 1939 Monitors eliminate busy waiting by providing synchronization within the monitor critical-section to schedule threads needing access to the shared data, where threads block versus spin. 1983 1940 Synchronization is generally achieved with internal~\cite{Hoare74} or external~\cite[\S~2.9.2]{uC++} scheduling. 1984 \newterm{Internal} largelyschedules threads located \emph{inside} the monitor and is accomplished using condition variables with signal and wait.1985 \newterm{External} largelyschedules threads located \emph{outside} the monitor and is accomplished with the @waitfor@ statement.1986 Note, internal scheduling has a small amount of external scheduling and vice vers a, so the naming denotes where the majority of the block threads reside (inside or outside) for scheduling.1987 For complex scheduling, the approaches can be combined, so there arethreads waiting inside and outside.1988 1989 \CFA monitors do not allow calling threads to barge ahead of signalled threads via barging prevention, which simplifies synchronization among threads in the monitor and increases correctness.1941 \newterm{Internal} (largely) schedules threads located \emph{inside} the monitor and is accomplished using condition variables with signal and wait. 1942 \newterm{External} (largely) schedules threads located \emph{outside} the monitor and is accomplished with the @waitfor@ statement. 1943 Note, internal scheduling has a small amount of external scheduling and vice versus, so the naming denotes where the majority of the block threads reside (inside or outside) for scheduling. 1944 For complex scheduling, the approaches can be combined, so there can be an equal number of threads waiting inside and outside. 1945 1946 \CFA monitors do not allow calling threads to barge ahead of signalled threads (via barging prevention), which simplifies synchronization among threads in the monitor and increases correctness. 1990 1947 A direct consequence of this semantics is that unblocked waiting threads are not required to recheck the waiting condition, \ie waits are not in a starvation-prone busy-loop as required by the signals-as-hints style with barging. 1991 1948 Preventing barging comes directly from Hoare's semantics in the seminal paper on monitors~\cite[p.~550]{Hoare74}. … … 1996 1953 Furthermore, \CFA concurrency has no spurious wakeup~\cite[\S~9]{Buhr05a}, which eliminates an implicit self barging. 1997 1954 1998 Monitor mutual-exclusion means signalling cannot have the signaller and signalled thread in the monitor simultaneously, so only the signaller or signallee can proceed and the other waits on an implicit urgent list~\cite[p.~551]{Hoare74}.1999 Figure~\ref{f:MonitorScheduling} shows internal andexternal scheduling for the bounded-buffer examples in Figure~\ref{f:GenericBoundedBuffer}.2000 For internal scheduling in Figure~\ref{f:BBInt}, the @signal@ moves the signallee , front thread of the specified condition queue, to the urgent list (see Figure~\ref{f:MonitorScheduling})and the signaller continues (solid line).1955 Monitor mutual-exclusion means signalling cannot have the signaller and signalled thread in the monitor simultaneously, so only the signaller or signallee can proceed. 1956 Figure~\ref{f:MonitorScheduling} shows internal/external scheduling for the bounded-buffer examples in Figure~\ref{f:GenericBoundedBuffer}. 1957 For internal scheduling in Figure~\ref{f:BBInt}, the @signal@ moves the signallee (front thread of the specified condition queue) to urgent and the signaller continues (solid line). 2001 1958 Multiple signals move multiple signallees to urgent until the condition queue is empty. 2002 When the signaller exits or waits, a thread is implicitly unblocked from urgent , if available,before unblocking a calling thread to prevent barging.1959 When the signaller exits or waits, a thread is implicitly unblocked from urgent (if available) before unblocking a calling thread to prevent barging. 2003 1960 (Java conceptually moves the signalled thread to the calling queue, and hence, allows barging.) 2004 Signal is used when the signaller is providing the cooperation needed by the signallee , \eg creating an empty slot in a buffer for a producer, and the signaller immediately exits the monitor to run concurrently consuming the buffer element,and passes control of the monitor to the signalled thread, which can immediately take advantage of the state change.1961 Signal is used when the signaller is providing the cooperation needed by the signallee (\eg creating an empty slot in a buffer for a producer) and the signaller immediately exits the monitor to run concurrently (consume the buffer element) and passes control of the monitor to the signalled thread, which can immediately take advantage of the state change. 2005 1962 Specifically, the @wait@ function atomically blocks the calling thread and implicitly releases the monitor lock(s) for all monitors in the function's parameter list. 2006 1963 Signalling is unconditional because signalling an empty condition queue does nothing. 2007 1964 It is common to declare condition queues as monitor fields to prevent shared access, hence no locking is required for access as the queues are protected by the monitor lock. 2008 In \CFA, a condition queue can be created andstored independently.1965 In \CFA, a condition queue can be created/stored independently. 2009 1966 2010 1967 \begin{figure} … … 2092 2049 \end{figure} 2093 2050 2094 The @signal_block@ provides the opposite unblocking order, where the signaller is moved to urgent and the signallee continues and a thread is implicitly unblocked from urgent when the signallee exits or waits (dashed line) ~\cite[p.~551]{Hoare74}.2095 Signal block is used when the signallee is providing the cooperation needed by the signaller , \eg if the buffer is removed and a producer hands off an item to a consumer as in Figure~\ref{f:DatingSignalBlock},so the signaller must wait until the signallee unblocks, provides the cooperation, exits the monitor to run concurrently, and passes control of the monitor to the signaller, which can immediately take advantage of the state change.2051 The @signal_block@ provides the opposite unblocking order, where the signaller is moved to urgent and the signallee continues and a thread is implicitly unblocked from urgent when the signallee exits or waits (dashed line). 2052 Signal block is used when the signallee is providing the cooperation needed by the signaller (\eg if the buffer is removed and a producer hands off an item to a consumer, as in Figure~\ref{f:DatingSignalBlock}) so the signaller must wait until the signallee unblocks, provides the cooperation, exits the monitor to run concurrently, and passes control of the monitor to the signaller, which can immediately take advantage of the state change. 2096 2053 Using @signal@ or @signal_block@ can be a dynamic decision based on whether the thread providing the cooperation arrives before or after the thread needing the cooperation. 2097 2054 2098 For external scheduling in Figure~\ref{f:BBExt}, the internal scheduling is replaced,eliminating condition queues and @signal@/@wait@ (cases where it cannot are discussed shortly), and has existed in the programming language Ada for almost 40 years with variants in other languages~\cite{SR,ConcurrentC++,uC++}.2055 External scheduling in Figure~\ref{f:BBExt} simplifies internal scheduling by eliminating condition queues and @signal@/@wait@ (cases where it cannot are discussed shortly), and has existed in the programming language Ada for almost 40 years with variants in other languages~\cite{SR,ConcurrentC++,uC++}. 2099 2056 While prior languages use external scheduling solely for thread interaction, \CFA generalizes it to both monitors and threads. 2100 2057 External scheduling allows waiting for events from other threads while restricting unrelated events, that would otherwise have to wait on condition queues in the monitor. … … 2105 2062 Now when a producer/consumer detects a full/empty buffer, the necessary cooperation for continuation is specified by indicating the next function call that can occur. 2106 2063 For example, a producer detecting a full buffer must have cooperation from a consumer to remove an item so function @remove@ is accepted, which prevents producers from entering the monitor, and after a consumer calls @remove@, the producer waiting on urgent is \emph{implicitly} unblocked because it can now continue its insert operation. 2107 Hence, this mechanism is done in terms of control flow, next call, versus in terms of data, channels, as in Go andRust @select@.2064 Hence, this mechanism is done in terms of control flow, next call, versus in terms of data, channels, as in Go/Rust @select@. 2108 2065 While both mechanisms have strengths and weaknesses, \CFA uses the control-flow mechanism to be consistent with other language features. 2109 2066 2110 Figure~\ref{f:ReadersWriterLock} shows internal and external scheduling for a readers/writer lock with no barging and threads are serviced in FIFO order to eliminate staleness andfreshness among the reader/writer threads.2067 Figure~\ref{f:ReadersWriterLock} shows internal/external scheduling for a readers/writer lock with no barging and threads are serviced in FIFO order to eliminate staleness/freshness among the reader/writer threads. 2111 2068 For internal scheduling in Figure~\ref{f:RWInt}, the readers and writers wait on the same condition queue in FIFO order, making it impossible to tell if a waiting thread is a reader or writer. 2112 2069 To clawback the kind of thread, a \CFA condition can store user data in the node for a blocking thread at the @wait@, \ie whether the thread is a @READER@ or @WRITER@. … … 2272 2229 For signal scheduling, the @exchange@ condition is necessary to block the thread finding the match, while the matcher unblocks to take the opposite number, post its phone number, and unblock the partner. 2273 2230 For signal-block scheduling, the implicit urgent-queue replaces the explicit @exchange@-condition and @signal_block@ puts the finding thread on the urgent stack and unblocks the matcher. 2274 Note, barging corrupts the dating service during an exchange because a barger may also match and change the phone numbers, invalidating the previous exchange phone number. 2231 2232 The dating service is an important example of a monitor that cannot be written using external scheduling. 2233 First, because scheduling requires knowledge of calling parameters to make matching decisions, and parameters of calling threads are unavailable within the monitor. 2234 For example, a girl thread within the monitor cannot examine the @ccode@ of boy threads waiting on the calling queue to determine if there is a matching partner. 2235 Second, because a scheduling decision may be delayed when there is no immediate match, which requires a condition queue for waiting, and condition queues imply internal scheduling. 2236 For example, if a girl thread could determine there is no calling boy with the same @ccode@, it must wait until a matching boy arrives. 2237 Finally, barging corrupts the dating service during an exchange because a barger may also match and change the phone numbers, invalidating the previous exchange phone number. 2275 2238 This situation shows rechecking the waiting condition and waiting again (signals-as-hints) fails, requiring significant restructured to account for barging. 2276 2239 2277 Given external and internal scheduling, what guidelines can a programmer use to select between them? 2278 In general, external scheduling is easier to understand and code because only the next logical action (mutex function(s)) is stated, and the monitor implicitly handles all the details. 2279 Therefore, there are no condition variables, and hence, no wait and signal, which reduces coding complexity and synchronization errors. 2280 If external scheduling is simpler than internal, why not use it all the time? 2281 Unfortunately, external scheduling cannot be used if: scheduling depends on parameter value(s) or scheduling must block across an unknown series of calls on a condition variable, \ie internal scheduling. 2282 For example, the dating service cannot be written using external scheduling. 2283 First, scheduling requires knowledge of calling parameters to make matching decisions and parameters of calling threads are unavailable within the monitor. 2284 Specifically, a thread within the monitor cannot examine the @ccode@ of threads waiting on the calling queue to determine if there is a matching partner. 2285 (Similarly, if the bounded buffer or readers/writer are restructured with a single interface function with a parameter denoting producer/consumer or reader/write, they cannot be solved with external scheduling.) 2286 Second, a scheduling decision may be delayed across an unknown number of calls when there is no immediate match so the thread in the monitor must block on a condition. 2287 Specifically, if a thread determines there is no opposite calling thread with the same @ccode@, it must wait an unknown period until a matching thread arrives. 2288 For complex synchronization, both external and internal scheduling can be used to take advantage of best of properties of each. 2289 2290 Finally, both internal and external scheduling extend to multiple monitors in a natural way. 2240 Both internal and external scheduling extend to multiple monitors in a natural way. 2291 2241 \begin{cquote} 2292 2242 \begin{tabular}{@{}l@{\hspace{2\parindentlnth}}l@{}} … … 2324 2274 Similarly, for @waitfor( rtn )@, the default semantics is to atomically block the acceptor and release all acquired mutex parameters, \ie @waitfor( rtn : m1, m2 )@. 2325 2275 To override the implicit multi-monitor wait, specific mutex parameter(s) can be specified, \eg @waitfor( rtn : m1 )@. 2326 @waitfor@ does statically verify the monitor types passed are the same as the acquired mutex-parameters of the given function or function pointer, hence the prototype must be accessible.2276 @waitfor@ does statically verify the monitor types passed are the same as the acquired mutex-parameters of the given function or function pointer, hence the function (pointer) prototype must be accessible. 2327 2277 % When an overloaded function appears in an @waitfor@ statement, calls to any function with that name are accepted. 2328 % The rationale is that functions with the same name should perform a similar actions, and therefore, all should be eligible to accept a call.2278 % The rationale is that members with the same name should perform a similar function, and therefore, all should be eligible to accept a call. 2329 2279 Overloaded functions can be disambiguated using a cast 2330 2280 \begin{cfa} … … 2335 2285 2336 2286 The ability to release a subset of acquired monitors can result in a \newterm{nested monitor}~\cite{Lister77} deadlock (see Section~\ref{s:MutexAcquisition}). 2287 \newpage 2337 2288 \begin{cfa} 2338 2289 void foo( M & mutex m1, M & mutex m2 ) { … … 2349 2300 2350 2301 Figure~\ref{f:ExtendedWaitfor} shows the extended form of the @waitfor@ statement to conditionally accept one of a group of mutex functions, with an optional statement to be performed \emph{after} the mutex function finishes. 2351 For a @waitfor@ clause to be executed, its @when@ must be true and an outstanding call to its corresponding function(s) must exist.2302 For a @waitfor@ clause to be executed, its @when@ must be true and an outstanding call to its corresponding member(s) must exist. 2352 2303 The \emph{conditional-expression} of a @when@ may call a function, but the function must not block or context switch. 2353 If there are multiple acceptable mutex calls, selection is prioritized top-to-bottomamong the @waitfor@ clauses, whereas some programming languages with similar mechanisms accept nondeterministically for this case, \eg Go \lstinline[morekeywords=select]@select@.2354 If some accept guards are true and there are no outstanding calls to these functions, the acceptor is blocked until a call to one of these functions is made.2304 If there are multiple acceptable mutex calls, selection occurs top-to-bottom (prioritized) among the @waitfor@ clauses, whereas some programming languages with similar mechanisms accept nondeterministically for this case, \eg Go \lstinline[morekeywords=select]@select@. 2305 If some accept guards are true and there are no outstanding calls to these members, the acceptor is blocked until a call to one of these members is made. 2355 2306 If there is a @timeout@ clause, it provides an upper bound on waiting. 2356 2307 If all the accept guards are false, the statement does nothing, unless there is a terminating @else@ clause with a true guard, which is executed instead. 2357 2308 Hence, the terminating @else@ clause allows a conditional attempt to accept a call without blocking. 2358 2309 If both @timeout@ and @else@ clause are present, the @else@ must be conditional, or the @timeout@ is never triggered. 2359 %There is also a traditional future wait queue (not shown) (\eg Microsoft @WaitForMultipleObjects@), to wait for a specified number of future elements in the queue.2310 There is also a traditional future wait queue (not shown) (\eg Microsoft @WaitForMultipleObjects@), to wait for a specified number of future elements in the queue. 2360 2311 Finally, there is a shorthand for specifying multiple functions using the same set of monitors: @waitfor( f, g, h : m1, m2, m3 )@. 2361 2312 … … 2364 2315 \begin{cfa} 2365 2316 `when` ( $\emph{conditional-expression}$ ) $\C{// optional guard}$ 2366 waitfor( $\emph{mutex- function-name}$ ) $\emph{statement}$ $\C{// action after call}$2317 waitfor( $\emph{mutex-member-name}$ ) $\emph{statement}$ $\C{// action after call}$ 2367 2318 `or` `when` ( $\emph{conditional-expression}$ ) $\C{// any number of functions}$ 2368 waitfor( $\emph{mutex- function-name}$ ) $\emph{statement}$2319 waitfor( $\emph{mutex-member-name}$ ) $\emph{statement}$ 2369 2320 `or` ... 2370 2321 `when` ( $\emph{conditional-expression}$ ) $\C{// optional guard}$ … … 2384 2335 The left example only accepts @mem1@ if @C1@ is true or only @mem2@ if @C2@ is true. 2385 2336 The right example accepts either @mem1@ or @mem2@ if @C1@ and @C2@ are true. 2386 Hence, the @waitfor@ has parallel semantics, accepting any true @when@ clause.2387 2337 2388 2338 An interesting use of @waitfor@ is accepting the @mutex@ destructor to know when an object is deallocated, \eg assume the bounded buffer is restructured from a monitor to a thread with the following @main@. … … 2482 2432 If W1 waited first, the signaller must retain @m1@ amd @m2@ until completion of the outer mutex statement and then pass both to W1. 2483 2433 % Furthermore, there is an execution sequence where the signaller always finds waiter W2, and hence, waiter W1 starves. 2484 To support this efficient semantics and prevent barging, the implementation maintains a list of monitors acquired for each blocked thread.2485 When a signaller exits or waits in a m utex function orstatement, the front waiter on urgent is unblocked if all its monitors are released.2434 To support this efficient semantics (and prevent barging), the implementation maintains a list of monitors acquired for each blocked thread. 2435 When a signaller exits or waits in a monitor function/statement, the front waiter on urgent is unblocked if all its monitors are released. 2486 2436 Implementing a fast subset check for the necessary released monitors is important and discussed in the following sections. 2487 2437 % The benefit is encapsulating complexity into only two actions: passing monitors to the next owner when they should be released and conditionally waking threads if all conditions are met. … … 2492 2442 2493 2443 In a statically-typed object-oriented programming language, a class has an exhaustive list of members, even when members are added via static inheritance (see Figure~\ref{f:uCinheritance}). 2494 Knowing all members at compilation , even separate compilation, allows uniquely numbered them so the accept-statement implementation can use a fast andcompact bit mask with $O(1)$ compare.2444 Knowing all members at compilation (even separate compilation) allows uniquely numbered them so the accept-statement implementation can use a fast/compact bit mask with $O(1)$ compare. 2495 2445 2496 2446 \begin{figure} … … 2543 2493 Hence, function pointers are used to identify the functions listed in the @waitfor@ statement, stored in a variable-sized array. 2544 2494 Then, the same implementation approach used for the urgent stack (see Section~\ref{s:Scheduling}) is used for the calling queue. 2545 Each caller has a list of monitors acquired, and the @waitfor@ statement performs a shortlinear search matching functions in the @waitfor@ list with called functions, and then verifying the associated mutex locks can be transfers.2495 Each caller has a list of monitors acquired, and the @waitfor@ statement performs a (short) linear search matching functions in the @waitfor@ list with called functions, and then verifying the associated mutex locks can be transfers. 2546 2496 2547 2497 … … 2621 2571 2622 2572 struct Msg { int i, j; }; 2623 m utexthread GoRtn { int i; float f; Msg m; };2573 monitor thread GoRtn { int i; float f; Msg m; }; 2624 2574 void mem1( GoRtn & mutex gortn, int i ) { gortn.i = i; } 2625 2575 void mem2( GoRtn & mutex gortn, float f ) { gortn.f = f; } … … 2627 2577 void ^?{}( GoRtn & mutex ) {} 2628 2578 2629 void main( GoRtn & mutex gortn ) with(gortn) {// thread starts2579 void main( GoRtn & gortn ) with( gortn ) { // thread starts 2630 2580 2631 2581 for () { … … 2694 2644 2695 2645 \begin{cfa} 2696 m utexthread DatingService {2646 monitor thread DatingService { 2697 2647 condition Girls[CompCodes], Boys[CompCodes]; 2698 2648 int girlPhoneNo, boyPhoneNo, ccode; … … 2758 2708 % \label{f:pingpong} 2759 2709 % \end{figure} 2760 Note, the ping/pong threads are globally declared, @pi@/@po@, and hence, start and possibly completebefore the program main starts.2710 Note, the ping/pong threads are globally declared, @pi@/@po@, and hence, start (and possibly complete) before the program main starts. 2761 2711 \end{comment} 2762 2712 2763 2713 2764 \subsection{\texorpdfstring{\protect\lstinline@m utex@ Generators / Coroutines / Threads}{monitor Generators / Coroutines / Threads}}2765 2766 \CFA generators, coroutines, and threads can also be @mutex@(Table~\ref{t:ExecutionPropertyComposition} cases 4, 6, 12) allowing safe \emph{direct communication} with threads, \ie the custom types can have mutex functions that are called by other threads.2714 \subsection{\texorpdfstring{\protect\lstinline@monitor@ Generators / Coroutines / Threads}{monitor Generators / Coroutines / Threads}} 2715 2716 \CFA generators, coroutines, and threads can also be monitors (Table~\ref{t:ExecutionPropertyComposition} cases 4, 6, 12) allowing safe \emph{direct communication} with threads, \ie the custom types can have mutex functions that are called by other threads. 2767 2717 All monitor features are available within these mutex functions. 2768 For example, if the formatter generator or coroutine equivalentin Figure~\ref{f:CFAFormatGen} is extended with the monitor property and this interface function is used to communicate with the formatter:2718 For example, if the formatter generator (or coroutine equivalent) in Figure~\ref{f:CFAFormatGen} is extended with the monitor property and this interface function is used to communicate with the formatter: 2769 2719 \begin{cfa} 2770 2720 void fmt( Fmt & mutex fmt, char ch ) { fmt.ch = ch; resume( fmt ) } … … 2774 2724 Figure~\ref{f:DirectCommunicationComparison} shows a comparison of direct call-communication in \CFA versus indirect channel-communication in Go. 2775 2725 (Ada has a similar mechanism to \CFA direct communication.) 2776 % The thread main function is by default @mutex@, so the @mutex@ qualifier for the thread parameter is optional. 2777 % The reason is that the thread logically starts instantaneously in the thread main acquiring its mutual exclusion, so it starts before any calls to prepare for synchronizing these calls. 2778 The \CFA program @main@ uses the call/return paradigm to directly communicate with the @GoRtn main@, whereas Go switches to the unbuffered channel paradigm to indirectly communicate with the goroutine. 2726 The program thread in \CFA @main@ uses the call/return paradigm to directly communicate with the @GoRtn main@, whereas Go switches to the channel paradigm to indirectly communicate with the goroutine. 2779 2727 Communication by multiple threads is safe for the @gortn@ thread via mutex calls in \CFA or channel assignment in Go. 2780 The different between call and channel send occurs for buffered channels making the send asynchronous.2781 In \CFA, asynchronous call and multiple buffers is provided using an administrator and worker threads~\cite{Gentleman81} and/or futures (not discussed).2782 2728 2783 2729 Figure~\ref{f:DirectCommunicationDatingService} shows the dating-service problem in Figure~\ref{f:DatingServiceMonitor} extended from indirect monitor communication to direct thread communication. 2784 When converting a monitor to a thread (server), the coding pattern is to move as much code as possible from the accepted functions into the thread main so it does an much work as possible.2730 When converting a monitor to a thread (server), the coding pattern is to move as much code as possible from the accepted members into the thread main so it does an much work as possible. 2785 2731 Notice, the dating server is postponing requests for an unspecified time while continuing to accept new requests. 2786 For complex servers , \eg web-servers, there can be hundreds of lines of code in the thread main and safe interaction with clients can be complex.2732 For complex servers (web-servers), there can be hundreds of lines of code in the thread main and safe interaction with clients can be complex. 2787 2733 2788 2734 … … 2822 2768 2823 2769 In contrast to direct threading is indirect \newterm{thread pools}, \eg Java @executor@, where small jobs (work units) are inserted into a work pool for execution. 2824 If the jobs are dependent, \ie interact, there is an implicit dependency graph that ties them together.2770 If the jobs are dependent, \ie interact, there is an implicit/explicit dependency graph that ties them together. 2825 2771 While removing direct concurrency, and hence the amount of context switching, thread pools significantly limit the interaction that can occur among jobs. 2826 2772 Indeed, jobs should not block because that also blocks the underlying thread, which effectively means the CPU utilization, and therefore throughput, suffers. … … 2911 2857 \label{s:RuntimeStructureProcessor} 2912 2858 2913 A virtual processor is implemented by a kernel thread , \eg UNIX process, which are scheduled for execution on a hardware processor by the underlying operating system.2859 A virtual processor is implemented by a kernel thread (\eg UNIX process), which are scheduled for execution on a hardware processor by the underlying operating system. 2914 2860 Programs may use more virtual processors than hardware processors. 2915 2861 On a multiprocessor, kernel threads are distributed across the hardware processors resulting in virtual processors executing in parallel. … … 2926 2872 \label{s:Implementation} 2927 2873 2928 A primary implementation challenge is avoiding contention from dynamically allocating memory because of bulk acquire, \eg the internal-scheduling design is almostfree of allocations.2874 A primary implementation challenge is avoiding contention from dynamically allocating memory because of bulk acquire, \eg the internal-scheduling design is (almost) free of allocations. 2929 2875 All blocking operations are made by parking threads onto queues, therefore all queues are designed with intrusive nodes, where each node has preallocated link fields for chaining. 2930 2876 Furthermore, several bulk-acquire operations need a variable amount of memory. … … 2972 2918 2973 2919 There are two versions of the \CFA runtime kernel: debug and non-debug. 2974 The debugging version has many runtime checks and internal assertions, \eg stack non-writableguard page, and checks for stack overflow whenever context switches occur among coroutines and threads, which catches most stack overflows.2920 The debugging version has many runtime checks and internal assertions, \eg stack (non-writable) guard page, and checks for stack overflow whenever context switches occur among coroutines and threads, which catches most stack overflows. 2975 2921 After a program is debugged, the non-debugging version can be used to significantly decrease space and increase performance. 2976 2922 … … 2980 2926 2981 2927 To test the performance of the \CFA runtime, a series of microbenchmarks are used to compare \CFA with pthreads, Java 11.0.6, Go 1.12.6, Rust 1.37.0, Python 3.7.6, Node.js 12.14.1, and \uC 7.0.0. 2982 For comparison, the package must be multi-processor (M:N), which excludes libdil and/libmil~\cite{libdill} (M:1)), and use a shared-memory programming model, \eg not message passing.2928 For comparison, the package must be multi-processor (M:N), which excludes libdill/libmil~\cite{libdill} (M:1)), and use a shared-memory programming model, \eg not message passing. 2983 2929 The benchmark computer is an AMD Opteron\texttrademark\ 6380 NUMA 64-core, 8 socket, 2.5 GHz processor, running Ubuntu 16.04.6 LTS, and pthreads/\CFA/\uC are compiled with gcc 9.2.1. 2984 2930 … … 2991 2937 The total time is divided by @N@ to obtain the average time for a benchmark. 2992 2938 Each benchmark experiment is run 13 times and the average appears in the table. 2993 All omitted tests for other languages are functionally identical to the \CFA tests and available online~\cite{Cforall ConcurrentBenchmarks}.2939 All omitted tests for other languages are functionally identical to the \CFA tests and available online~\cite{CforallBenchMarks}. 2994 2940 % tar --exclude-ignore=exclude -cvhf benchmark.tar benchmark 2995 % cp -p benchmark.tar /u/cforall/public_html/doc/concurrent_benchmark.tar 2996 2997 \paragraph{Creation} 2998 2999 Creation is measured by creating and deleting a specific kind of control-flow object. 3000 Figure~\ref{f:creation} shows the code for \CFA with results in Table~\ref{t:creation}. 3001 Note, the call stacks of \CFA coroutines are lazily created on the first resume, therefore the cost of creation with and without a stack are presented. 2941 2942 \paragraph{Context Switching} 2943 2944 In procedural programming, the cost of a function call is important as modularization (refactoring) increases. 2945 (In many cases, a compiler inlines function calls to increase the size and number of basic blocks for optimizing.) 2946 Similarly, when modularization extends to coroutines/threads, the time for a context switch becomes a relevant factor. 2947 The coroutine test is from resumer to suspender and from suspender to resumer, which is two context switches. 2948 %For async-await systems, the test is scheduling and fulfilling @N@ empty promises, where all promises are allocated before versus interleaved with fulfillment to avoid garbage collection. 2949 For async-await systems, the test measures the cost of the @await@ expression entering the event engine by awaiting @N@ promises, where each created promise is resolved by an immediate event in the engine (using Node.js @setImmediate@). 2950 The thread test is using yield to enter and return from the runtime kernel, which is two context switches. 2951 The difference in performance between coroutine and thread context-switch is the cost of scheduling for threads, whereas coroutines are self-scheduling. 2952 Figure~\ref{f:ctx-switch} shows the \CFA code for a coroutine/thread with results in Table~\ref{t:ctx-switch}. 2953 2954 % From: Gregor Richards <gregor.richards@uwaterloo.ca> 2955 % To: "Peter A. Buhr" <pabuhr@plg2.cs.uwaterloo.ca> 2956 % Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2020 13:49:18 -0500 2957 % 2958 % I can also verify that the previous version, which just tied a bunch of promises together, *does not* go back to the 2959 % event loop at all in the current version of Node. Presumably they're taking advantage of the fact that the ordering of 2960 % events is intentionally undefined to just jump right to the next 'then' in the chain, bypassing event queueing 2961 % entirely. That's perfectly correct behavior insofar as its difference from the specified behavior isn't observable, but 2962 % it isn't typical or representative of much anything useful, because most programs wouldn't have whole chains of eager 2963 % promises. Also, it's not representative of *anything* you can do with async/await, as there's no way to encode such an 2964 % eager chain that way. 3002 2965 3003 2966 \begin{multicols}{2} 3004 2967 \lstset{language=CFA,moredelim=**[is][\color{red}]{@}{@},deletedelim=**[is][]{`}{`}} 3005 \begin{cfa} 3006 @coroutine@ MyCoroutine {}; 3007 void ?{}( MyCoroutine & this ) { 3008 #ifdef EAGER 3009 resume( this ); 3010 #endif 3011 } 3012 void main( MyCoroutine & ) {} 3013 int main() { 3014 BENCH( for ( N ) { @MyCoroutine c;@ } ) 2968 \begin{cfa}[aboveskip=0pt,belowskip=0pt] 2969 @coroutine@ C {}; 2970 void main( C & ) { for () { @suspend;@ } } 2971 int main() { // coroutine test 2972 C c; 2973 BENCH( for ( N ) { @resume( c );@ } ) 3015 2974 sout | result; 3016 2975 } 3017 \end{cfa} 3018 \captionof{figure}{\CFA creation benchmark} 3019 \label{f:creation} 2976 int main() { // thread test 2977 BENCH( for ( N ) { @yield();@ } ) 2978 sout | result; 2979 } 2980 \end{cfa} 2981 \captionof{figure}{\CFA context-switch benchmark} 2982 \label{f:ctx-switch} 3020 2983 3021 2984 \columnbreak 3022 2985 3023 2986 \vspace*{-16pt} 3024 \captionof{table}{Creation comparison (nanoseconds)} 3025 \label{t:creation} 3026 3027 \begin{tabular}[t]{@{}r*{3}{D{.}{.}{5.2}}@{}} 3028 \multicolumn{1}{@{}c}{} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Median} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Average} & \multicolumn{1}{c@{}}{Std Dev} \\ 3029 \CFA generator & 0.6 & 0.6 & 0.0 \\ 3030 \CFA coroutine lazy & 13.4 & 13.1 & 0.5 \\ 3031 \CFA coroutine eager & 144.7 & 143.9 & 1.5 \\ 3032 \CFA thread & 466.4 & 468.0 & 11.3 \\ 3033 \uC coroutine & 155.6 & 155.7 & 1.7 \\ 3034 \uC thread & 523.4 & 523.9 & 7.7 \\ 3035 Python generator & 123.2 & 124.3 & 4.1 \\ 3036 Node.js generator & 33.4 & 33.5 & 0.3 \\ 3037 Goroutine thread & 751.0 & 750.5 & 3.1 \\ 3038 Rust tokio thread & 1860.0 & 1881.1 & 37.6 \\ 3039 Rust thread & 53801.0 & 53896.8 & 274.9 \\ 3040 Java thread & 120274.0 & 120722.9 & 2356.7 \\ 3041 Pthreads thread & 31465.5 & 31419.5 & 140.4 2987 \captionof{table}{Context switch comparison (nanoseconds)} 2988 \label{t:ctx-switch} 2989 \begin{tabular}{@{}r*{3}{D{.}{.}{3.2}}@{}} 2990 \multicolumn{1}{@{}c}{} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Median} &\multicolumn{1}{c}{Average} & \multicolumn{1}{c@{}}{Std Dev} \\ 2991 C function & 1.8 & 1.8 & 0.0 \\ 2992 \CFA generator & 1.8 & 2.0 & 0.3 \\ 2993 \CFA coroutine & 32.5 & 32.9 & 0.8 \\ 2994 \CFA thread & 93.8 & 93.6 & 2.2 \\ 2995 \uC coroutine & 50.3 & 50.3 & 0.2 \\ 2996 \uC thread & 97.3 & 97.4 & 1.0 \\ 2997 Python generator & 40.9 & 41.3 & 1.5 \\ 2998 Node.js generator & 32.6 & 32.2 & 1.0 \\ 2999 Node.js await & 1852.2 & 1854.7 & 16.4 \\ 3000 Goroutine thread & 143.0 & 143.3 & 1.1 \\ 3001 Rust thread & 332.0 & 331.4 & 2.4 \\ 3002 Java thread & 405.0 & 415.0 & 17.6 \\ 3003 Pthreads thread & 334.3 & 335.2 & 3.9 3042 3004 \end{tabular} 3043 3005 \end{multicols} 3044 3006 3045 \vspace*{-10pt}3046 3007 \paragraph{Internal Scheduling} 3047 3008 … … 3075 3036 } 3076 3037 \end{cfa} 3077 \vspace*{-8pt}3078 3038 \captionof{figure}{\CFA Internal-scheduling benchmark} 3079 3039 \label{f:schedint} … … 3144 3104 \paragraph{Mutual-Exclusion} 3145 3105 3146 Uncontented mutual exclusion, which frequently occurs, is measured by entering andleaving a critical section.3147 For monitors, entering and leaving a m utexfunction is measured, otherwise the language-appropriate mutex-lock is measured.3106 Uncontented mutual exclusion, which frequently occurs, is measured by entering/leaving a critical section. 3107 For monitors, entering and leaving a monitor function is measured, otherwise the language-appropriate mutex-lock is measured. 3148 3108 For comparison, a spinning (versus blocking) test-and-test-set lock is presented. 3149 3109 Figure~\ref{f:mutex} shows the code for \CFA with results in Table~\ref{t:mutex}. … … 3182 3142 \end{multicols} 3183 3143 3184 \paragraph{Context Switching} 3185 3186 In procedural programming, the cost of a function call is important as modularization (refactoring) increases. 3187 (In many cases, a compiler inlines function calls to increase the size and number of basic blocks for optimizing.) 3188 Similarly, when modularization extends to coroutines and threads, the time for a context switch becomes a relevant factor. 3189 The coroutine test is from resumer to suspender and from suspender to resumer, which is two context switches. 3190 %For async-await systems, the test is scheduling and fulfilling @N@ empty promises, where all promises are allocated before versus interleaved with fulfillment to avoid garbage collection. 3191 For async-await systems, the test measures the cost of the @await@ expression entering the event engine by awaiting @N@ promises, where each created promise is resolved by an immediate event in the engine (using Node.js @setImmediate@). 3192 The thread test is using yield to enter and return from the runtime kernel, which is two context switches. 3193 The difference in performance between coroutine and thread context-switch is the cost of scheduling for threads, whereas coroutines are self-scheduling. 3194 Figure~\ref{f:ctx-switch} shows the \CFA code for a coroutine and thread with results in Table~\ref{t:ctx-switch}. 3195 3196 % From: Gregor Richards <gregor.richards@uwaterloo.ca> 3197 % To: "Peter A. Buhr" <pabuhr@plg2.cs.uwaterloo.ca> 3198 % Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2020 13:49:18 -0500 3199 % 3200 % I can also verify that the previous version, which just tied a bunch of promises together, *does not* go back to the 3201 % event loop at all in the current version of Node. Presumably they're taking advantage of the fact that the ordering of 3202 % events is intentionally undefined to just jump right to the next 'then' in the chain, bypassing event queueing 3203 % entirely. That's perfectly correct behavior insofar as its difference from the specified behavior isn't observable, but 3204 % it isn't typical or representative of much anything useful, because most programs wouldn't have whole chains of eager 3205 % promises. Also, it's not representative of *anything* you can do with async/await, as there's no way to encode such an 3206 % eager chain that way. 3144 \paragraph{Creation} 3145 3146 Creation is measured by creating/deleting a specific kind of control-flow object. 3147 Figure~\ref{f:creation} shows the code for \CFA with results in Table~\ref{t:creation}. 3148 Note, the call stacks of \CFA coroutines are lazily created on the first resume, therefore the cost of creation with and without a stack are presented. 3207 3149 3208 3150 \begin{multicols}{2} 3209 3151 \lstset{language=CFA,moredelim=**[is][\color{red}]{@}{@},deletedelim=**[is][]{`}{`}} 3210 \begin{cfa}[aboveskip=0pt,belowskip=0pt] 3211 @coroutine@ C {}; 3212 void main( C & ) { for () { @suspend;@ } } 3213 int main() { // coroutine test 3214 C c; 3215 BENCH( for ( N ) { @resume( c );@ } ) 3152 \begin{cfa} 3153 @coroutine@ MyCoroutine {}; 3154 void ?{}( MyCoroutine & this ) { 3155 #ifdef EAGER 3156 resume( this ); 3157 #endif 3158 } 3159 void main( MyCoroutine & ) {} 3160 int main() { 3161 BENCH( for ( N ) { @MyCoroutine c;@ } ) 3216 3162 sout | result; 3217 3163 } 3218 int main() { // thread test 3219 BENCH( for ( N ) { @yield();@ } ) 3220 sout | result; 3221 } 3222 \end{cfa} 3223 \captionof{figure}{\CFA context-switch benchmark} 3224 \label{f:ctx-switch} 3164 \end{cfa} 3165 \captionof{figure}{\CFA creation benchmark} 3166 \label{f:creation} 3225 3167 3226 3168 \columnbreak 3227 3169 3228 3170 \vspace*{-16pt} 3229 \captionof{table}{Context switch comparison (nanoseconds)} 3230 \label{t:ctx-switch} 3231 \begin{tabular}{@{}r*{3}{D{.}{.}{3.2}}@{}} 3232 \multicolumn{1}{@{}c}{} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Median} &\multicolumn{1}{c}{Average} & \multicolumn{1}{c@{}}{Std Dev} \\ 3233 C function & 1.8 & 1.8 & 0.0 \\ 3234 \CFA generator & 1.8 & 2.0 & 0.3 \\ 3235 \CFA coroutine & 32.5 & 32.9 & 0.8 \\ 3236 \CFA thread & 93.8 & 93.6 & 2.2 \\ 3237 \uC coroutine & 50.3 & 50.3 & 0.2 \\ 3238 \uC thread & 97.3 & 97.4 & 1.0 \\ 3239 Python generator & 40.9 & 41.3 & 1.5 \\ 3240 Node.js await & 1852.2 & 1854.7 & 16.4 \\ 3241 Node.js generator & 33.3 & 33.4 & 0.3 \\ 3242 Goroutine thread & 143.0 & 143.3 & 1.1 \\ 3243 Rust async await & 32.0 & 32.0 & 0.0 \\ 3244 Rust tokio thread & 143.0 & 143.0 & 1.7 \\ 3245 Rust thread & 332.0 & 331.4 & 2.4 \\ 3246 Java thread & 405.0 & 415.0 & 17.6 \\ 3247 Pthreads thread & 334.3 & 335.2 & 3.9 3171 \captionof{table}{Creation comparison (nanoseconds)} 3172 \label{t:creation} 3173 3174 \begin{tabular}[t]{@{}r*{3}{D{.}{.}{5.2}}@{}} 3175 \multicolumn{1}{@{}c}{} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Median} & \multicolumn{1}{c}{Average} & \multicolumn{1}{c@{}}{Std Dev} \\ 3176 \CFA generator & 0.6 & 0.6 & 0.0 \\ 3177 \CFA coroutine lazy & 13.4 & 13.1 & 0.5 \\ 3178 \CFA coroutine eager & 144.7 & 143.9 & 1.5 \\ 3179 \CFA thread & 466.4 & 468.0 & 11.3 \\ 3180 \uC coroutine & 155.6 & 155.7 & 1.7 \\ 3181 \uC thread & 523.4 & 523.9 & 7.7 \\ 3182 Python generator & 123.2 & 124.3 & 4.1 \\ 3183 Node.js generator & 32.3 & 32.2 & 0.3 \\ 3184 Goroutine thread & 751.0 & 750.5 & 3.1 \\ 3185 Rust thread & 53801.0 & 53896.8 & 274.9 \\ 3186 Java thread & 120274.0 & 120722.9 & 2356.7 \\ 3187 Pthreads thread & 31465.5 & 31419.5 & 140.4 3248 3188 \end{tabular} 3249 3189 \end{multicols} … … 3252 3192 \subsection{Discussion} 3253 3193 3254 Languages using 1:1 threading based on pthreads can at best meet or exceed , due to language overhead,the pthread results.3194 Languages using 1:1 threading based on pthreads can at best meet or exceed (due to language overhead) the pthread results. 3255 3195 Note, pthreads has a fast zero-contention mutex lock checked in user space. 3256 3196 Languages with M:N threading have better performance than 1:1 because there is no operating-system interactions. … … 3260 3200 3261 3201 3262 \section{Conclusion s and Future Work}3202 \section{Conclusion} 3263 3203 3264 3204 Advanced control-flow will always be difficult, especially when there is temporal ordering and nondeterminism. … … 3267 3207 Combining these properties creates a number of high-level, efficient, and maintainable control-flow types: generator, coroutine, thread, each of which can be a monitor. 3268 3208 Eliminated from \CFA are barging and spurious wakeup, which are nonintuitive and lead to errors, and having to work with a bewildering set of low-level locks and acquisition techniques. 3269 \CFA high-level race-free monitors and threads , when used with mutex access function, provide the core mechanisms for mutual exclusion and synchronization, without having to resort to magic qualifiers like @volatile@ or@atomic@.3209 \CFA high-level race-free monitors and threads provide the core mechanisms for mutual exclusion and synchronization, without having to resort to magic qualifiers like @volatile@/@atomic@. 3270 3210 Extending these mechanisms to handle high-level deadlock-free bulk acquire across both mutual exclusion and synchronization is a unique contribution. 3271 3211 The \CFA runtime provides concurrency based on a preemptive M:N user-level threading-system, executing in clusters, which encapsulate scheduling of work on multiple kernel threads providing parallelism. 3272 3212 The M:N model is judged to be efficient and provide greater flexibility than a 1:1 threading model. 3273 3213 These concepts and the \CFA runtime-system are written in the \CFA language, extensively leveraging the \CFA type-system, which demonstrates the expressiveness of the \CFA language. 3274 Performance comparisons with other concurrent systems andlanguages show the \CFA approach is competitive across all basic operations, which translates directly into good performance in well-written applications with advanced control-flow.3214 Performance comparisons with other concurrent systems/languages show the \CFA approach is competitive across all basic operations, which translates directly into good performance in well-written applications with advanced control-flow. 3275 3215 C programmers should feel comfortable using these mechanisms for developing complex control-flow in applications, with the ability to obtain maximum available performance by selecting mechanisms at the appropriate level of need using only calling communication. 3276 3216 3217 3218 \section{Future Work} 3219 3277 3220 While control flow in \CFA has a strong start, development is still underway to complete a number of missing features. 3278 3221 3279 \medskip 3280 \textbf{Flexible Scheduling:} 3222 \paragraph{Flexible Scheduling} 3223 \label{futur:sched} 3224 3281 3225 An important part of concurrency is scheduling. 3282 Different scheduling algorithms can affect performance , both in terms of average and variation.3226 Different scheduling algorithms can affect performance (both in terms of average and variation). 3283 3227 However, no single scheduler is optimal for all workloads and therefore there is value in being able to change the scheduler for given programs. 3284 3228 One solution is to offer various tuning options, allowing the scheduler to be adjusted to the requirements of the workload. … … 3286 3230 Currently, the \CFA pluggable scheduler is too simple to handle complex scheduling, \eg quality of service and real-time, where the scheduler must interact with mutex objects to deal with issues like priority inversion~\cite{Buhr00b}. 3287 3231 3288 \smallskip 3289 \textbf{Non-Blocking I/O:} 3232 \paragraph{Non-Blocking I/O} 3233 \label{futur:nbio} 3234 3290 3235 Many modern workloads are not bound by computation but IO operations, common cases being web servers and XaaS~\cite{XaaS} (anything as a service). 3291 3236 These types of workloads require significant engineering to amortizing costs of blocking IO-operations. … … 3296 3241 A non-blocking I/O library is currently under development for \CFA. 3297 3242 3298 \smallskip 3299 \textbf{Other Concurrency Tools:} 3243 \paragraph{Other Concurrency Tools} 3244 \label{futur:tools} 3245 3300 3246 While monitors offer flexible and powerful concurrency for \CFA, other concurrency tools are also necessary for a complete multi-paradigm concurrency package. 3301 3247 Examples of such tools can include futures and promises~\cite{promises}, executors and actors. … … 3303 3249 As well, new \CFA extensions should make it possible to create a uniform interface for virtually all mutual exclusion, including monitors and low-level locks. 3304 3250 3305 \smallskip 3306 \textbf{Implicit Threading:} 3307 Basic \emph{embarrassingly parallel} applications can benefit greatly from implicit concurrency, where sequential programs are converted to concurrent, with some help from pragmas to guide the conversion. 3251 \paragraph{Implicit Threading} 3252 \label{futur:implcit} 3253 3254 Basic concurrent (embarrassingly parallel) applications can benefit greatly from implicit concurrency, where sequential programs are converted to concurrent, possibly with some help from pragmas to guide the conversion. 3308 3255 This type of concurrency can be achieved both at the language level and at the library level. 3309 3256 The canonical example of implicit concurrency is concurrent nested @for@ loops, which are amenable to divide and conquer algorithms~\cite{uC++book}.
Note:
See TracChangeset
for help on using the changeset viewer.