/*
 * Copyright (c) 1997, 2017, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
 * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
 *
 * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
 * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
 * published by the Free Software Foundation.  Oracle designates this
 * particular file as subject to the "Classpath" exception as provided
 * by Oracle in the LICENSE file that accompanied this code.
 *
 * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
 * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
 * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
 * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
 * accompanied this code).
 *
 * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
 * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
 * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
 *
 * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
 * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
 * questions.
 */

package java.lang.ref;

import jdk.internal.vm.annotation.DontInline;
import jdk.internal.HotSpotIntrinsicCandidate;
import jdk.internal.misc.JavaLangRefAccess;
import jdk.internal.misc.SharedSecrets;
import jdk.internal.ref.Cleaner;

Abstract base class for reference objects. This class defines the operations common to all reference objects. Because reference objects are implemented in close cooperation with the garbage collector, this class may not be subclassed directly.
Author: Mark Reinhold
Since: 1.2
/** * Abstract base class for reference objects. This class defines the * operations common to all reference objects. Because reference objects are * implemented in close cooperation with the garbage collector, this class may * not be subclassed directly. * * @author Mark Reinhold * @since 1.2 */
public abstract class Reference<T> { /* A Reference instance is in one of four possible internal states: * * Active: Subject to special treatment by the garbage collector. Some * time after the collector detects that the reachability of the * referent has changed to the appropriate state, it changes the * instance's state to either Pending or Inactive, depending upon * whether or not the instance was registered with a queue when it was * created. In the former case it also adds the instance to the * pending-Reference list. Newly-created instances are Active. * * Pending: An element of the pending-Reference list, waiting to be * enqueued by the Reference-handler thread. Unregistered instances * are never in this state. * * Enqueued: An element of the queue with which the instance was * registered when it was created. When an instance is removed from * its ReferenceQueue, it is made Inactive. Unregistered instances are * never in this state. * * Inactive: Nothing more to do. Once an instance becomes Inactive its * state will never change again. * * The state is encoded in the queue and next fields as follows: * * Active: queue = ReferenceQueue with which instance is registered, or * ReferenceQueue.NULL if it was not registered with a queue; next = * null. * * Pending: queue = ReferenceQueue with which instance is registered; * next = this * * Enqueued: queue = ReferenceQueue.ENQUEUED; next = Following instance * in queue, or this if at end of list. * * Inactive: queue = ReferenceQueue.NULL; next = this. * * With this scheme the collector need only examine the next field in order * to determine whether a Reference instance requires special treatment: If * the next field is null then the instance is active; if it is non-null, * then the collector should treat the instance normally. * * To ensure that a concurrent collector can discover active Reference * objects without interfering with application threads that may apply * the enqueue() method to those objects, collectors should link * discovered objects through the discovered field. The discovered * field is also used for linking Reference objects in the pending list. */ private T referent; /* Treated specially by GC */ volatile ReferenceQueue<? super T> queue; /* When active: NULL * pending: this * Enqueued: next reference in queue (or this if last) * Inactive: this */ @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes") volatile Reference next; /* When active: next element in a discovered reference list maintained by GC (or this if last) * pending: next element in the pending list (or null if last) * otherwise: NULL */ private transient Reference<T> discovered; /* used by VM */ /* High-priority thread to enqueue pending References */ private static class ReferenceHandler extends Thread { private static void ensureClassInitialized(Class<?> clazz) { try { Class.forName(clazz.getName(), true, clazz.getClassLoader()); } catch (ClassNotFoundException e) { throw (Error) new NoClassDefFoundError(e.getMessage()).initCause(e); } } static { // pre-load and initialize Cleaner class so that we don't // get into trouble later in the run loop if there's // memory shortage while loading/initializing it lazily. ensureClassInitialized(Cleaner.class); } ReferenceHandler(ThreadGroup g, String name) { super(g, null, name, 0, false); } public void run() { while (true) { processPendingReferences(); } } } /* * system property to disable clearing before enqueuing. */ private static final class ClearBeforeEnqueue { static final boolean DISABLE = Boolean.getBoolean("jdk.lang.ref.disableClearBeforeEnqueue"); } /* * Atomically get and clear (set to null) the VM's pending list. */ private static native Reference<Object> getAndClearReferencePendingList(); /* * Test whether the VM's pending list contains any entries. */ private static native boolean hasReferencePendingList(); /* * Wait until the VM's pending list may be non-null. */ private static native void waitForReferencePendingList(); private static final Object processPendingLock = new Object(); private static boolean processPendingActive = false; private static void processPendingReferences() { // Only the singleton reference processing thread calls // waitForReferencePendingList() and getAndClearReferencePendingList(). // These are separate operations to avoid a race with other threads // that are calling waitForReferenceProcessing(). waitForReferencePendingList(); Reference<Object> pendingList; synchronized (processPendingLock) { pendingList = getAndClearReferencePendingList(); processPendingActive = true; } while (pendingList != null) { Reference<Object> ref = pendingList; pendingList = ref.discovered; ref.discovered = null; if (ref instanceof Cleaner) { ((Cleaner)ref).clean(); // Notify any waiters that progress has been made. // This improves latency for nio.Bits waiters, which // are the only important ones. synchronized (processPendingLock) { processPendingLock.notifyAll(); } } else { ReferenceQueue<? super Object> q = ref.queue; if (q != ReferenceQueue.NULL) q.enqueue(ref); } } // Notify any waiters of completion of current round. synchronized (processPendingLock) { processPendingActive = false; processPendingLock.notifyAll(); } } // Wait for progress in reference processing. // // Returns true after waiting (for notification from the reference // processing thread) if either (1) the VM has any pending // references, or (2) the reference processing thread is // processing references. Otherwise, returns false immediately. private static boolean waitForReferenceProcessing() throws InterruptedException { synchronized (processPendingLock) { if (processPendingActive || hasReferencePendingList()) { // Wait for progress, not necessarily completion. processPendingLock.wait(); return true; } else { return false; } } } static { ThreadGroup tg = Thread.currentThread().getThreadGroup(); for (ThreadGroup tgn = tg; tgn != null; tg = tgn, tgn = tg.getParent()); Thread handler = new ReferenceHandler(tg, "Reference Handler"); /* If there were a special system-only priority greater than * MAX_PRIORITY, it would be used here */ handler.setPriority(Thread.MAX_PRIORITY); handler.setDaemon(true); handler.start(); // provide access in SharedSecrets SharedSecrets.setJavaLangRefAccess(new JavaLangRefAccess() { @Override public boolean waitForReferenceProcessing() throws InterruptedException { return Reference.waitForReferenceProcessing(); } }); } /* -- Referent accessor and setters -- */
Returns this reference object's referent. If this reference object has been cleared, either by the program or by the garbage collector, then this method returns null.
Returns: The object to which this reference refers, or null if this reference object has been cleared
/** * Returns this reference object's referent. If this reference object has * been cleared, either by the program or by the garbage collector, then * this method returns <code>null</code>. * * @return The object to which this reference refers, or * <code>null</code> if this reference object has been cleared */
@HotSpotIntrinsicCandidate public T get() { return this.referent; }
Clears this reference object. Invoking this method will not cause this object to be enqueued.

This method is invoked only by Java code; when the garbage collector clears references it does so directly, without invoking this method.

/** * Clears this reference object. Invoking this method will not cause this * object to be enqueued. * * <p> This method is invoked only by Java code; when the garbage collector * clears references it does so directly, without invoking this method. */
public void clear() { this.referent = null; } /* -- Queue operations -- */
Tells whether or not this reference object has been enqueued, either by the program or by the garbage collector. If this reference object was not registered with a queue when it was created, then this method will always return false.
Returns: true if and only if this reference object has been enqueued
/** * Tells whether or not this reference object has been enqueued, either by * the program or by the garbage collector. If this reference object was * not registered with a queue when it was created, then this method will * always return <code>false</code>. * * @return <code>true</code> if and only if this reference object has * been enqueued */
public boolean isEnqueued() { return (this.queue == ReferenceQueue.ENQUEUED); }
Clears this reference object and adds it to the queue with which it is registered, if any.

This method is invoked only by Java code; when the garbage collector enqueues references it does so directly, without invoking this method.

Returns: true if this reference object was successfully enqueued; false if it was already enqueued or if it was not registered with a queue when it was created
/** * Clears this reference object and adds it to the queue with which * it is registered, if any. * * <p> This method is invoked only by Java code; when the garbage collector * enqueues references it does so directly, without invoking this method. * * @return <code>true</code> if this reference object was successfully * enqueued; <code>false</code> if it was already enqueued or if * it was not registered with a queue when it was created */
public boolean enqueue() { if (!ClearBeforeEnqueue.DISABLE) this.referent = null; return this.queue.enqueue(this); } /* -- Constructors -- */ Reference(T referent) { this(referent, null); } Reference(T referent, ReferenceQueue<? super T> queue) { this.referent = referent; this.queue = (queue == null) ? ReferenceQueue.NULL : queue; }
Ensures that the object referenced by the given reference remains strongly reachable, regardless of any prior actions of the program that might otherwise cause the object to become unreachable; thus, the referenced object is not reclaimable by garbage collection at least until after the invocation of this method. Invocation of this method does not itself initiate garbage collection or finalization.

This method establishes an ordering for strong reachability with respect to garbage collection. It controls relations that are otherwise only implicit in a program -- the reachability conditions triggering garbage collection. This method is designed for use in uncommon situations of premature finalization where using synchronized blocks or methods, or using other synchronization facilities are not possible or do not provide the desired control. This method is applicable only when reclamation may have visible effects, which is possible for objects with finalizers (See Section 12.6 17 of The Java™ Language Specification) that are implemented in ways that rely on ordering control for correctness.

Params:
  • ref – the reference. If null, this method has no effect.
API Note: Finalization may occur whenever the virtual machine detects that no reference to an object will ever be stored in the heap: The garbage collector may reclaim an object even if the fields of that object are still in use, so long as the object has otherwise become unreachable. This may have surprising and undesirable effects in cases such as the following example in which the bookkeeping associated with a class is managed through array indices. Here, method action uses a reachabilityFence to ensure that the Resource object is not reclaimed before bookkeeping on an associated ExternalResource has been performed; in particular here, to ensure that the array slot holding the ExternalResource is not nulled out in method Object.finalize, which may otherwise run concurrently.
 
class Resource {
  private static ExternalResource[] externalResourceArray = ...
  int myIndex;
  Resource(...) {
    myIndex = ...
    externalResourceArray[myIndex] = ...;
    ...
  }
  protected void finalize() {
    externalResourceArray[myIndex] = null;
    ...
  }
  public void action() {
    try {
      // ...
      int i = myIndex;
      Resource.update(externalResourceArray[i]);
    } finally {
      Reference.reachabilityFence(this);
    }
  }
  private static void update(ExternalResource ext) {
    ext.status = ...;
  }
 }
Here, the invocation of reachabilityFence is nonintuitively placed after the call to update, to ensure that the array slot is not nulled out by Object.finalize before the update, even if the call to action was the last use of this object. This might be the case if, for example a usage in a user program had the form new Resource().action(); which retains no other reference to this Resource. While probably overkill here, reachabilityFence is placed in a finally block to ensure that it is invoked across all paths in the method. In a method with more complex control paths, you might need further precautions to ensure that reachabilityFence is encountered along all of them.

It is sometimes possible to better encapsulate use of reachabilityFence. Continuing the above example, if it were acceptable for the call to method update to proceed even if the finalizer had already executed (nulling out slot), then you could localize use of reachabilityFence:

 
public void action2() {
  // ...
  Resource.update(getExternalResource());
 }
private ExternalResource getExternalResource() {
  ExternalResource ext = externalResourceArray[myIndex];
  Reference.reachabilityFence(this);
  return ext;
 }

Method reachabilityFence is not required in constructions that themselves ensure reachability. For example, because objects that are locked cannot, in general, be reclaimed, it would suffice if all accesses of the object, in all methods of class Resource (including finalize) were enclosed in synchronized (this) blocks. (Further, such blocks must not include infinite loops, or themselves be unreachable, which fall into the corner case exceptions to the "in general" disclaimer.) However, method reachabilityFence remains a better option in cases where this approach is not as efficient, desirable, or possible; for example because it would encounter deadlock.

Since:9
/** * Ensures that the object referenced by the given reference remains * <a href="package-summary.html#reachability"><em>strongly reachable</em></a>, * regardless of any prior actions of the program that might otherwise cause * the object to become unreachable; thus, the referenced object is not * reclaimable by garbage collection at least until after the invocation of * this method. Invocation of this method does not itself initiate garbage * collection or finalization. * * <p> This method establishes an ordering for * <a href="package-summary.html#reachability"><em>strong reachability</em></a> * with respect to garbage collection. It controls relations that are * otherwise only implicit in a program -- the reachability conditions * triggering garbage collection. This method is designed for use in * uncommon situations of premature finalization where using * {@code synchronized} blocks or methods, or using other synchronization * facilities are not possible or do not provide the desired control. This * method is applicable only when reclamation may have visible effects, * which is possible for objects with finalizers (See * <a href="https://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se8/html/jls-12.html#jls-12.6"> * Section 12.6 17 of <cite>The Java&trade; Language Specification</cite></a>) * that are implemented in ways that rely on ordering control for correctness. * * @apiNote * Finalization may occur whenever the virtual machine detects that no * reference to an object will ever be stored in the heap: The garbage * collector may reclaim an object even if the fields of that object are * still in use, so long as the object has otherwise become unreachable. * This may have surprising and undesirable effects in cases such as the * following example in which the bookkeeping associated with a class is * managed through array indices. Here, method {@code action} uses a * {@code reachabilityFence} to ensure that the {@code Resource} object is * not reclaimed before bookkeeping on an associated * {@code ExternalResource} has been performed; in particular here, to * ensure that the array slot holding the {@code ExternalResource} is not * nulled out in method {@link Object#finalize}, which may otherwise run * concurrently. * * <pre> {@code * class Resource { * private static ExternalResource[] externalResourceArray = ... * * int myIndex; * Resource(...) { * myIndex = ... * externalResourceArray[myIndex] = ...; * ... * } * protected void finalize() { * externalResourceArray[myIndex] = null; * ... * } * public void action() { * try { * // ... * int i = myIndex; * Resource.update(externalResourceArray[i]); * } finally { * Reference.reachabilityFence(this); * } * } * private static void update(ExternalResource ext) { * ext.status = ...; * } * }}</pre> * * Here, the invocation of {@code reachabilityFence} is nonintuitively * placed <em>after</em> the call to {@code update}, to ensure that the * array slot is not nulled out by {@link Object#finalize} before the * update, even if the call to {@code action} was the last use of this * object. This might be the case if, for example a usage in a user program * had the form {@code new Resource().action();} which retains no other * reference to this {@code Resource}. While probably overkill here, * {@code reachabilityFence} is placed in a {@code finally} block to ensure * that it is invoked across all paths in the method. In a method with more * complex control paths, you might need further precautions to ensure that * {@code reachabilityFence} is encountered along all of them. * * <p> It is sometimes possible to better encapsulate use of * {@code reachabilityFence}. Continuing the above example, if it were * acceptable for the call to method {@code update} to proceed even if the * finalizer had already executed (nulling out slot), then you could * localize use of {@code reachabilityFence}: * * <pre> {@code * public void action2() { * // ... * Resource.update(getExternalResource()); * } * private ExternalResource getExternalResource() { * ExternalResource ext = externalResourceArray[myIndex]; * Reference.reachabilityFence(this); * return ext; * }}</pre> * * <p> Method {@code reachabilityFence} is not required in constructions * that themselves ensure reachability. For example, because objects that * are locked cannot, in general, be reclaimed, it would suffice if all * accesses of the object, in all methods of class {@code Resource} * (including {@code finalize}) were enclosed in {@code synchronized (this)} * blocks. (Further, such blocks must not include infinite loops, or * themselves be unreachable, which fall into the corner case exceptions to * the "in general" disclaimer.) However, method {@code reachabilityFence} * remains a better option in cases where this approach is not as efficient, * desirable, or possible; for example because it would encounter deadlock. * * @param ref the reference. If {@code null}, this method has no effect. * @since 9 */
@DontInline public static void reachabilityFence(Object ref) { // Does nothing, because this method is annotated with @DontInline // HotSpot needs to retain the ref and not GC it before a call to this // method } }